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 $1,410 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $878 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,385 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,893 in Arad, rent included.

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

Cluj-Napoca sits 6% above the global median, while Arad is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.4

$9.18 RON 42.13

24.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$33.99 RON 156

69.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$6.84 RON 31.39

19.01%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.54

$2.27 RON 10.42

49.34%

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

$2.35 RON 10.78

$1.56 RON 7.18

50.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.75 RON 8.05

20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.99

$2.09 RON 9.57

55.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.46

$2.70 RON 12.40

48.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.50 RON 6.89

19.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.22 RON 5.61

10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.56

$1.54 RON 7.06

20.78%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.38

$2.94 RON 13.50

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.47

$7.87 RON 36.14

23.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.40

$4.32 RON 19.83

63.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.8

$8.78 RON 40.29

35.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.21 RON 5.53

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.91

$1.59 RON 7.32

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.52

$1.73 RON 7.92

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.90

$1.69 RON 7.78

40.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.77 RON 3.55

23.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$0.87 RON 3.99

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.99

$1.06 RON 4.85

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.86 RON 3.97

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.94

$5.74 RON 26.33

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.10

$5.29 RON 24.29

44.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.38

$1.03 RON 4.75

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$1.64 RON 7.53

23.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.91 RON 4.17

-21.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$23.47 RON 108

-0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.90 RON 4.14

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.87 RON 3.97

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.86

$9.34 RON 42.89

2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.47

$1.57 RON 7.20

3.82%

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

$27.6K RON 126.7K

$28.4K RON 130.5K

-2.94%

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

$27.1K RON 124.4K

$26.8K RON 122.9K

1.21%

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

$160 RON 734

$108 RON 498

47.54%

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

$9.06 RON 41.60

$8.55 RON 39.25

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.54

$7.65 RON 35.10

32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$38.59 RON 177

16.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.5

$23.10 RON 106

-13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.41

$5.79 RON 26.59

36.96%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$227 RON 1,041

109.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.4K

$6,930 RON 31.8K

55.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$39.65 RON 182

76.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$38.74 RON 178

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 397

$80.7 RON 371

7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$70.1 RON 322

43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,278

$317 RON 1,457

125.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,566

$216 RON 990

159.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,709

$565 RON 2,594

120.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,329

$437 RON 2,004

115.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$1,456 RON 6,685

218.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$1,105 RON 5,074

207.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,032

$847 RON 3,889

55.09%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $317 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 55% 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 $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $34.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $185 – 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 $2,115 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,316 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 $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca and $34.00 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 $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca and $878 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 $878, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,410. 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 $878 versus $1,410 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.