Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,815 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 40% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chang-hua sits 35% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$129

$13.28 RON 60.2

-69.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.91 NT$1,044

$57.0 RON 258

-42.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 NT$194

$10.13 RON 45.93

-39.78%

Cappuccino

$1.65 NT$52.3

$3.92 RON 17.76

-57.91%

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

$0.94 NT$29.79

$2.54 RON 11.52

-62.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.29

$2.39 RON 10.84

-74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NT$44.52

$3.24 RON 14.69

-56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NT$72.1

$4.36 RON 19.80

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$1.74 RON 7.88

35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.57 RON 7.10

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NT$91.3

$1.90 RON 8.63

51.58%

Eggs

$2.72 NT$86.2

$3.99 RON 18.12

-31.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 NT$519

$9.70 RON 43.99

68.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NT$320

$7.75 RON 35.14

30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.88 NT$694

$12.36 RON 56.0

77.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 NT$160

$1.51 RON 6.86

234.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 NT$105

$1.81 RON 8.20

83.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.9

$2.01 RON 9.13

50.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.5

$2.63 RON 11.94

19.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$1.00 RON 4.56

169.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.0

$1.00 RON 4.55

121.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$0.98 RON 4.44

78.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.56

$1.07 RON 4.84

-24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$128

$6.74 RON 30.55

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NT$297

$7.76 RON 35.20

20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.33

$1.29 RON 5.84

13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.5

$1.80 RON 8.17

23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NT$49.04

$0.78 RON 3.54

98.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 NT$1,096

$31.80 RON 144

8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.6

$0.97 RON 4.40

178.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.82

$1.01 RON 4.59

-25.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.73 NT$309

$9.00 RON 40.84

8.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.37

$1.91 RON 8.68

-46.60%

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

$33.5K NT$1.1M

$30.2K RON 136.9K

11.09%

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

$24.4K NT$774.1K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

-7.59%

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

$31.05 NT$985

$168 RON 760

-81.46%

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

$18.25 NT$579

$8.78 RON 39.84

107.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 NT$598

$10.41 RON 47.20

81.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 NT$1,011

$48.20 RON 219

-33.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 NT$293

$10.15 RON 46.03

-8.87%

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

$630 NT$20.0K

$613 RON 2,781

2.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,739 NT$245.5K

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-23.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 NT$1,590

$92.4 RON 419

-45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.20 NT$482

$47.93 RON 217

-68.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 NT$2,546

$105 RON 475

-23.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 NT$1,617

$112 RON 510

-54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 NT$8,159

$665 RON 3,016

-61.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 NT$5,421

$548 RON 2,484

-68.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 NT$15.8K

$1,212 RON 5,498

-59.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,486

$858 RON 3,893

-79.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 NT$97.1K

$4,765 RON 21.6K

-35.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 NT$52.3K

$3,587 RON 16.3K

-54.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,024 NT$64.2K

$1,365 RON 6,191

48.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

6.8

-67.65%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Chang-hua versus $665 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 48% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Chang-hua versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Chang-hua vs $248 in Cluj-Napoca – so Cluj-Napoca wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chang-hua vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cluj-Napoca costs about 67% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,342 per month in Chang-hua and $2,246 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $894 in Chang-hua and $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $894 versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chang-hua. 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.