Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $975 per month in Calarasi vs $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Calarasi vs $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,001 per month in Calarasi vs $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Calarasi is about 29% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Calarasi sits 27% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 RON 45.61

$11.58 RON 52.4

-12.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 RON 127

$57.8 RON 261

-51.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 RON 35.22

$8.08 RON 36.53

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$2.58 RON 11.67

$3.53 RON 15.99

-26.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 RON 6.99

$2.30 RON 10.40

-33.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.48

$2.13 RON 9.65

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.32

$3.28 RON 14.84

-30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.84

$4.02 RON 18.18

-12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 RON 6.14

$1.79 RON 8.11

-24.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 RON 4.79

$1.35 RON 6.10

-21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.91

$1.89 RON 8.56

-7.41%

Eggs

$3.33 RON 15.04

$3.26 RON 14.75

2.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 RON 40.52

$10.25 RON 46.36

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 RON 32.28

$7.06 RON 31.96

1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.90 RON 40.27

$12.06 RON 54.6

-26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$1.18 RON 5.36

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.47

$1.72 RON 7.80

-16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.09

$1.63 RON 7.39

-17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.89

$2.42 RON 10.93

-19.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.46

$0.95 RON 4.30

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.24

$0.93 RON 4.23

1.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.19

$1.08 RON 4.89

-34.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.82

$0.88 RON 3.99

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.55

$6.56 RON 29.67

-13.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 RON 19.83

$7.76 RON 35.09

-43.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$1.16 RON 5.23

-16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.20

$1.96 RON 8.86

-30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 RON 2.01

$0.67 RON 3.02

-34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.70 RON 62.0

$22.65 RON 102

-39.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$1.00 RON 4.51

-28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.78

$0.86 RON 3.90

-29.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 RON 25.57

$9.43 RON 42.67

-40.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.70 RON 7.71

-6.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.9K RON 112.5K

$28.5K RON 128.9K

-12.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K RON 123.1K

$26.7K RON 120.8K

1.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$146 RON 659

$156 RON 704

-6.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.53 RON 38.58

$9.13 RON 41.29

-6.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.52 RON 34.00

$9.87 RON 44.65

-23.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 RON 318

$44.65 RON 202

57.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 RON 87.0

$20.25 RON 91.6

-4.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 RON 26.98

$8.27 RON 37.39

-27.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,938

$481 RON 2,176

-10.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,987 RON 31.6K

$10.5K RON 47.5K

-33.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 RON 368

$69.5 RON 314

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.78 RON 194

$40.69 RON 184

5.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 RON 344

$84.5 RON 382

-10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 RON 450

$99.9 RON 452

-0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,774

$707 RON 3,196

-44.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 RON 1,021

$564 RON 2,552

-59.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,709

$1,261 RON 5,706

-52.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 RON 1,688

$930 RON 4,209

-59.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,241 RON 5,612

$4,832 RON 21.9K

-74.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$960 RON 4,341

$3,491 RON 15.8K

-72.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 RON 3,387

$1,369 RON 6,194

-45.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.85

13.16%

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

Last update for Calarasi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Calarasi versus $707 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 83% higher in Cluj-Napoca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Calarasi versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $234 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Calarasi vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $975 in Calarasi, $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca – roughly 41% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,463 per month in Calarasi and $2,061 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $429 per month in Calarasi and $481 in Cluj-Napoca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Cluj-Napoca, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $975, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,374. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cluj-Napoca has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $975 in Calarasi to $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cluj-Napoca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.