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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,383 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,929 in Alexandria.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 64% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Alexandria is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 RON 50.1

$9.31 RON 40.59

23.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 RON 253

$32.78 RON 143

76.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 RON 35.98

$6.73 RON 29.36

22.59%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.40

$1.86 RON 8.10

89.78%

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

$2.33 RON 10.16

$1.98 RON 8.62

17.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.67

$1.65 RON 7.21

34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.92

$2.33 RON 10.15

36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 16.98

$2.72 RON 11.86

43.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.34 RON 5.86

28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.27 RON 5.55

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.26

$1.35 RON 5.88

40.00%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.10

$1.40 RON 6.08

130.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 RON 42.69

$5.22 RON 22.74

87.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 RON 31.19

$4.55 RON 19.84

57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 RON 52.2

$8.64 RON 37.67

38.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.37

$0.96 RON 4.20

28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.72

$1.59 RON 6.91

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.18 RON 5.13

37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.34

$1.12 RON 4.89

111.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$0.45 RON 1.96

115.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.06

$0.66 RON 2.87

40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.45 RON 1.96

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.78

$0.66 RON 2.87

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 RON 28.40

$5.68 RON 24.77

14.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 33.97

$5.71 RON 24.91

36.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.08

$0.66 RON 2.87

77.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.53

$0.95 RON 4.15

106.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

$0.66 RON 2.87

1.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.34 RON 102

$22.98 RON 100

1.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.36

$0.47 RON 2.07

112.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.57

$0.43 RON 1.88

90.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 RON 41.50

$5.19 RON 22.64

83.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$1.64 RON 7.15

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

$28.3K RON 123.5K

$17.5K RON 76.5K

61.46%

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

$26.9K RON 117.1K

$23.7K RON 103.3K

13.37%

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

$158 RON 688

$118 RON 513

34.02%

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

$8.92 RON 38.87

$6.76 RON 29.49

31.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 43.81

$6.84 RON 29.83

46.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 RON 190

$38.37 RON 167

13.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 88.4

$9.32 RON 40.62

117.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 34.56

$4.72 RON 20.60

68.01%

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

$490 RON 2,136

$437 RON 1,904

12.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 45.8K

$6,929 RON 30.2K

51.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 308

$68.1 RON 297

3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 RON 177

$34.32 RON 150

18.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 371

$70.3 RON 307

21.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 RON 434

$67.9 RON 296

46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 RON 3,135

$344 RON 1,499

109.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,432

$231 RON 1,008

141.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,554

$794 RON 3,464

60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 RON 4,144

$581 RON 2,534

63.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 RON 20.3K

$1,381 RON 6,019

237.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,361 RON 14.7K

$875 RON 3,813

284.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 RON 6,171

$1,349 RON 5,880

4.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Cluj-Napoca and $344 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $33.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $155 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.

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

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

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cluj-Napoca pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $719 in Cluj-Napoca versus $344 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,375 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $836 in Alexandria – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 2% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Alexandria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.