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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $929 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,459 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,990 in Arad, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 61% more than Arad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 9% above the global median, while Arad is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 60.0

$8.62 RON 38.94

54.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$34.56 RON 156

64.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.74

$7.85 RON 35.47

29.04%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$2.67 RON 12.08

46.82%

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

$2.54 RON 11.47

$1.57 RON 7.07

61.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$1.68 RON 7.60

42.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.63

$2.25 RON 10.18

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.71

$2.57 RON 11.61

69.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.18 RON 5.35

47.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.25 RON 5.66

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.60

$1.76 RON 7.94

7.95%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.04

$2.83 RON 12.78

40.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.81

$7.35 RON 33.22

31.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 35.00

$4.99 RON 22.54

55.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$10.88 RON 49.13

13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.78 RON 8.02

-15.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.17

$1.83 RON 8.28

-1.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.10

$1.80 RON 8.15

11.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.89

$1.50 RON 6.77

75.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.83 RON 3.74

20.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.91 RON 4.11

9.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$1.29 RON 5.83

-24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.82 RON 3.70

30.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.42

$6.03 RON 27.23

11.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.05

$5.95 RON 26.89

30.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$1.25 RON 5.66

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.80 RON 8.15

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.97 RON 4.40

-19.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$30.73 RON 139

3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.90 RON 4.08

7.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$1.09 RON 4.90

-7.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.67

$11.23 RON 50.7

-19.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.65

$1.82 RON 8.24

4.95%

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

$30.2K RON 136.3K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

6.13%

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

$26.4K RON 119.3K

$26.0K RON 117.7K

1.36%

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

$168 RON 757

$132 RON 594

27.35%

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

$8.78 RON 39.67

$8.77 RON 39.60

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 47.00

$7.61 RON 34.39

36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$36.43 RON 165

32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$33.75 RON 152

-29.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.84

$5.39 RON 24.35

88.31%

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

$613 RON 2,770

$167 RON 753

267.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.7K

$4,022 RON 18.2K

151.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 418

$44.82 RON 202

106.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 217

$22.22 RON 100

115.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$73.2 RON 330

43.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$76.7 RON 346

46.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,004

$349 RON 1,579

90.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,474

$235 RON 1,061

133.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,475

$556 RON 2,513

117.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,877

$436 RON 1,969

96.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,516 RON 6,845

214.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,092 RON 4,930

228.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,165

$956 RON 4,320

42.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.35

-7.48%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $349 in Arad. 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 43% 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 $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $198 – making Arad 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

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

Cluj-Napoca costs about 61% more than Arad, 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 $2,246 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,394 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca and $35.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca and $929 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. In Arad 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. Arad costs $929 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 Arad. 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.