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 $984 per month in Calarasi vs $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Calarasi vs $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,995 per month in Calarasi vs $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Calarasi is about 28% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Calarasi sits 26% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 RON 45.74

$11.38 RON 51.8

-11.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.17 RON 128

$57.6 RON 262

-51.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 RON 34.64

$7.94 RON 36.13

-4.16%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.64

$3.53 RON 16.08

-27.48%

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

$1.53 RON 6.98

$2.37 RON 10.80

-35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RON 8.31

$2.12 RON 9.66

-14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.54

$3.13 RON 14.25

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.49

$4.02 RON 18.29

-15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 RON 6.43

$1.77 RON 8.05

-20.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 RON 4.78

$1.31 RON 5.95

-19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.99

$1.81 RON 8.26

-2.76%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.24

$3.34 RON 15.19

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 RON 39.33

$9.83 RON 44.75

-12.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.66

$7.27 RON 33.10

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 RON 40.63

$12.00 RON 54.6

-25.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.50

$1.23 RON 5.60

-1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.77 RON 8.06

-16.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.56 RON 7.09

-17.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.01

$2.36 RON 10.75

-16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.94 RON 4.30

-19.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.06

$0.97 RON 4.42

-8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 RON 3.44

$1.09 RON 4.96

-30.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.87

$0.92 RON 4.19

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 25.89

$6.44 RON 29.30

-11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.39 RON 20.00

$7.54 RON 34.31

-41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.17 RON 5.31

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 RON 6.42

$1.96 RON 8.92

-28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 RON 2.02

$0.67 RON 3.04

-34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.55 RON 61.7

$23.24 RON 106

-41.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.99 RON 4.49

-32.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.74

$0.82 RON 3.73

-26.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 RON 26.80

$9.11 RON 41.47

-35.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.24

$1.69 RON 7.67

-5.92%

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

$25.3K RON 115.3K

$28.4K RON 129.4K

-10.89%

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

$26.9K RON 122.4K

$27.0K RON 123.0K

-0.47%

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

$146 RON 664

$158 RON 720

-7.84%

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

$8.55 RON 38.93

$8.72 RON 39.70

-1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.26 RON 33.05

$9.91 RON 45.13

-26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 RON 312

$43.33 RON 197

58.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 RON 85.9

$20.21 RON 92.0

-6.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 RON 27.93

$7.86 RON 35.79

-21.88%

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

$425 RON 1,935

$492 RON 2,241

-13.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,986 RON 31.8K

$10.5K RON 47.7K

-33.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 RON 376

$70.0 RON 319

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.94 RON 195

$41.01 RON 187

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 343

$84.2 RON 383

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 451

$101 RON 461

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,742

$712 RON 3,240

-46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 RON 1,038

$548 RON 2,494

-58.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,645

$1,267 RON 5,769

-54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 RON 1,704

$940 RON 4,280

-60.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,244 RON 5,660

$4,857 RON 22.1K

-74.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 RON 4,413

$3,404 RON 15.5K

-71.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$741 RON 3,370

$1,325 RON 6,030

-44.11%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Calarasi versus $712 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 79% 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: $196 vs $233 – 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: $984 in Calarasi, $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca – roughly 38% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,476 per month in Calarasi and $2,041 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 $425 per month in Calarasi and $492 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 $984, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,361. 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 $984 in Calarasi to $1,361 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.