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: $1,496 in Cluj-Napoca versus $922 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,270 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,394 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,043 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,865 in Alexandria.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 62% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 9% above, Alexandria is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 RON 58.2

$8.81 RON 39.59

47.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 RON 257

$31.64 RON 142

81.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 RON 43.61

$7.93 RON 35.61

22.45%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.71

$1.74 RON 7.80

113.79%

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

$2.60 RON 11.70

$1.92 RON 8.62

35.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 RON 11.13

$1.57 RON 7.06

57.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.65

$2.14 RON 9.63

52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 RON 19.25

$2.67 RON 11.99

60.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.81

$1.38 RON 6.21

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 RON 6.57

$0.90 RON 4.04

62.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.28

$1.20 RON 5.41

53.33%

Eggs

$3.74 RON 16.78

$2.31 RON 10.37

61.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 RON 44.41

$5.23 RON 23.51

89.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 RON 34.17

$4.71 RON 21.15

61.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.0

$8.42 RON 37.80

45.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.56

$0.96 RON 4.30

52.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.14

$1.22 RON 5.50

48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.47

$1.00 RON 4.51

89.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 RON 11.71

$0.95 RON 4.25

174.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.53

$0.74 RON 3.32

36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$0.69 RON 3.10

47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 RON 4.58

$0.79 RON 3.54

29.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RON 4.75

$0.91 RON 4.08

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 28.88

$5.53 RON 24.84

16.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 RON 33.63

$5.56 RON 24.96

34.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.77

$0.97 RON 4.36

31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 RON 8.26

$1.12 RON 5.03

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 RON 3.62

$0.63 RON 2.83

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.23 RON 145

$43.40 RON 195

-25.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 RON 4.40

$0.43 RON 1.92

127.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RON 4.33

$0.42 RON 1.89

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 40.95

$5.77 RON 25.90

58.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.54

$1.69 RON 7.59

12.43%

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

$29.7K RON 133.3K

$16.8K RON 75.4K

76.84%

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

$26.3K RON 118.2K

$24.4K RON 109.8K

7.68%

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

$174 RON 781

$120 RON 537

45.36%

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

$8.39 RON 37.70

$5.48 RON 24.60

53.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 RON 44.45

$8.00 RON 35.95

23.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.91 RON 215

$61.2 RON 275

-21.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

$26.50 RON 119

-11.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 RON 43.67

$6.42 RON 28.84

51.40%

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

$624 RON 2,802

$335 RON 1,503

86.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K RON 46.0K

$7,054 RON 31.7K

45.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 RON 413

$56.0 RON 251

64.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.30 RON 217

$22.74 RON 102

112.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 464

$65.1 RON 293

58.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 RON 511

$66.4 RON 298

71.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 RON 3,026

$336 RON 1,510

100.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,566

$252 RON 1,132

126.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 RON 5,344

$614 RON 2,756

93.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 RON 4,092

$449 RON 2,016

103.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,884 RON 21.9K

$1,319 RON 5,923

270.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,517 RON 15.8K

$813 RON 3,651

332.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 RON 6,061

$880 RON 3,954

53.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.73

1.04%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 16, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Cluj-Napoca and $336 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 53% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $32.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $158 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 62% 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.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 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: $674 in Cluj-Napoca versus $336 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,496 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $922 in Alexandria – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $922 in Alexandria versus $1,496 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 $922 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 62% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.