Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calafat and Cluj-Napoca

For one person, living is cheaper in Calafat: $1,016 a month against $1,424 in Cluj-Napoca, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Calafat, Romania
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Calafat
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,016
/mo nomad
Cluj-Napoca
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,424
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calafat and in Cluj-Napoca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calafat and in Cluj-Napoca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Calafat vs $1,424 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

  • Calafat $1,016
  • Cluj-Napoca $1,424

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Calafat vs $2,141 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

  • Calafat $1,499
  • Cluj-Napoca $2,141

A family of three spends $1,982 per month in Calafat vs $2,858 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

  • Calafat $1,982
  • Cluj-Napoca $2,858

Calafat is about 29% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Calafat sits 25% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.35 RON 35.14
$12.23 RON 58.4
-39.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.38 RON 183
$55.3 RON 264
-30.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.21 RON 34.44
$9.39 RON 44.86
-23.22%
Cappuccino
$2.14 RON 10.20
$3.79 RON 18.11
-43.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 RON 6.87
$2.40 RON 11.48
-40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 RON 4.14
$2.33 RON 11.12
-62.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 RON 5.15
$3.20 RON 15.28
-66.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 RON 8.77
$4.11 RON 19.65
-55.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 RON 5.34
$1.57 RON 7.51
-28.66%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 RON 3.65
$1.41 RON 6.73
-46.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 RON 6.43
$1.80 RON 8.61
-25.00%
Eggs
$2.33 RON 11.13
$3.70 RON 17.67
-37.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.69 RON 31.98
$9.23 RON 44.11
-27.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.35 RON 30.32
$7.16 RON 34.21
-11.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.24 RON 29.80
$11.81 RON 56.4
-47.16%
Apples (1kg)
$1.01 RON 4.83
$1.37 RON 6.55
-26.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 RON 7.11
$1.60 RON 7.63
-6.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 RON 6.09
$1.87 RON 8.93
-31.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.44 RON 6.89
$2.31 RON 11.03
-37.66%
Potato (1kg)
$0.60 RON 2.87
$0.92 RON 4.37
-34.78%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 RON 3.59
$0.88 RON 4.18
-14.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 RON 3.30
$0.96 RON 4.60
-28.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 RON 3.40
$0.96 RON 4.58
-26.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.31 RON 25.35
$6.33 RON 30.27
-16.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.27 RON 29.95
$7.50 RON 35.82
-16.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 RON 4.18
$1.22 RON 5.82
-27.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 RON 6.95
$1.75 RON 8.35
-17.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 RON 3.57
$0.70 RON 3.36
7.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.34 RON 107
$43.90 RON 210
-49.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.53 RON 2.54
$0.81 RON 3.88
-34.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 RON 2.43
$0.82 RON 3.92
-37.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.77 RON 46.68
$8.25 RON 39.43
18.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 RON 7.19
$1.98 RON 9.47
-23.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K RON 121.7K
$28.3K RON 135.1K
-9.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K RON 121.9K
$24.6K RON 117.5K
3.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 RON 1,024
$152 RON 725
41.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.55 RON 36.09
$8.05 RON 38.47
-6.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.33 RON 30.23
$9.37 RON 44.77
-32.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.82 RON 181
$48.94 RON 234
-22.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.06 RON 91.1
$22.31 RON 107
-14.57%
Cinema Ticket
$7.40 RON 35.35
$9.32 RON 44.52
-20.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$412 RON 1,970
$577 RON 2,759
-28.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,151 RON 38.9K
$12.3K RON 58.7K
-33.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.5 RON 303
$87.3 RON 417
-27.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.04 RON 201
$43.70 RON 209
-3.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.2 RON 402
$99.8 RON 477
-15.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.5 RON 399
$107 RON 512
-22.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$380 RON 1,816
$662 RON 3,164
-42.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$294 RON 1,406
$539 RON 2,574
-45.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$617 RON 2,946
$1,247 RON 5,957
-50.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 RON 2,234
$836 RON 3,996
-44.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,910 RON 9,128
$4,596 RON 22.0K
-58.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,190 RON 5,688
$3,264 RON 15.6K
-63.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calafat
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$812 RON 3,880
$1,293 RON 6,180
-37.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
6.65
-9.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calafat: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calafat
$294
Cluj-Napoca
$539 83% $244
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calafat
$228
Cluj-Napoca
$169 25.8% $59
Groceries & Markets
Calafat
$165
Cluj-Napoca
$231 40% $66
Eating Out
Calafat
$124
Cluj-Napoca
$215 72.6% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Calafat
$123
Cluj-Napoca
$152 23.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Calafat
$53
Cluj-Napoca
$68 28.4% $15
Getting Around
Calafat
$28
Cluj-Napoca
$52 81.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Calafat versus $662 in Cluj-Napoca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Cluj-Napoca. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Calafat versus $55 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $231 – making Calafat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Calafat
🇷🇴 Cluj-Napoca
🕒 Local time
05:59 5:59 AM
05:59 5:59 AM
Same time as Calafat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,500
324,576
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calafat Cluj-Napoca 310 km
From you
  • Calafat
  • Cluj-Napoca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Calafat vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Calafat and in Cluj-Napoca compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,016 in Calafat, $1,424 in Cluj-Napoca – Calafat comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Calafat compared to Cluj-Napoca?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,523 per month in Calafat and $2,137 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Calafat and Cluj-Napoca?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $380 there versus $662 in Cluj-Napoca.
Which city is more expensive overall: Calafat or Cluj-Napoca?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,016 in Calafat and $1,424 in Cluj-Napoca. That makes Calafat about 29% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Calafat and in Cluj-Napoca?
Public transport costs about 49% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How far does $2,000 go in Calafat compared to Cluj-Napoca?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,016 in Calafat and $1,424 in Cluj-Napoca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Calafat or Cluj-Napoca?
Families tend to lean toward Calafat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Calafat or Cluj-Napoca safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Calafat and Cluj-Napoca?
If budget matters most, go with Calafat. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cluj-Napoca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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