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: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $847 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,408 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,970 in Alexandria.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Alexandria is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.4

$9.40 RON 42.53

23.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 261

$33.16 RON 150

74.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.53

$6.88 RON 31.13

17.44%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.99

$1.88 RON 8.50

87.77%

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

$2.30 RON 10.40

$2.01 RON 9.08

14.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.65

$1.64 RON 7.41

29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.84

$2.34 RON 10.58

40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.18

$2.83 RON 12.80

42.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.41 RON 6.36

26.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.10

$1.27 RON 5.76

6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.56

$1.41 RON 6.39

34.04%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.75

$1.35 RON 6.08

141.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.36

$5.36 RON 24.27

91.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 31.96

$4.49 RON 20.33

57.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.6

$8.89 RON 40.23

35.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.36

$0.88 RON 3.96

34.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.59 RON 7.20

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.39

$1.17 RON 5.27

39.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.93

$1.17 RON 5.29

106.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.48 RON 2.18

97.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$0.70 RON 3.19

32.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.48 RON 2.17

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.71 RON 3.22

23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.67

$5.41 RON 24.47

21.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.09

$5.49 RON 24.82

41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.23

$0.72 RON 3.26

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.86

$0.88 RON 3.97

122.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.67 RON 3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 102

$23.22 RON 105

-2.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$0.45 RON 2.02

122.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$0.41 RON 1.83

109.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.67

$5.01 RON 22.65

88.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.71

$1.59 RON 7.20

6.92%

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

$28.5K RON 128.9K

$17.6K RON 79.8K

61.66%

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

$26.7K RON 120.8K

$24.2K RON 109.4K

10.38%

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

$156 RON 704

$116 RON 523

34.68%

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

$9.13 RON 41.29

$6.79 RON 30.72

34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.65

$7.00 RON 31.66

41.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 202

$38.11 RON 172

17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.6

$9.44 RON 42.70

114.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.39

$4.70 RON 21.27

75.96%

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

$481 RON 2,176

$438 RON 1,982

9.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.5K

$6,957 RON 31.5K

50.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 314

$68.4 RON 310

1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 184

$34.20 RON 155

18.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 382

$68.0 RON 308

24.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 452

$68.1 RON 308

46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,196

$342 RON 1,547

106.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,552

$227 RON 1,027

148.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,706

$808 RON 3,657

56.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,209

$565 RON 2,556

64.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,334 RON 6,036

262.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$832 RON 3,763

319.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,194

$1,362 RON 6,162

0.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $342 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 1% 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 $234 vs $157 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.

Cluj-Napoca pays 1% 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: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $342 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,374 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $847 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 3% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $847 in Alexandria versus $1,374 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 $847 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.