Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,488 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,352 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,213 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,273 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,938 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $3,194 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 10% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 8% above the global median, while As-salimiyah is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 61.0

$12.89 KWD 3.95

4.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 259

$58.5 KWD 17.94

-2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.59

$7.93 KWD 2.43

26.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.74

$5.37 KWD 1.65

-27.00%

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

$2.47 RON 11.21

$0.76 KWD 0.23

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.17

$0.34 KWD 0.10

626.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.21

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.28 KWD 0.39

35.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$0.75 KWD 0.23

112.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-6.06%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.67

$2.06 KWD 0.63

89.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.87

$4.45 KWD 1.36

117.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.26

$5.47 KWD 1.68

42.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.8

$9.44 KWD 2.89

28.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$2.15 KWD 0.66

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.58 KWD 0.49

13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.90

$1.34 KWD 0.41

46.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.65

$1.49 KWD 0.46

72.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$0.79 KWD 0.24

32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-37.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.50 KWD 0.15

106.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.60

$2.72 KWD 0.83

148.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.42

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.93 KWD 0.29

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 147

$48.99 KWD 15.02

-33.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$3.31 KWD 1.01

-72.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-69.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.30

$16.47 KWD 5.05

-44.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$0.32 KWD 0.10

496.87%

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

$29.3K RON 132.8K

$20.7K KWD 6,350

41.55%

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

$26.1K RON 118.4K

$20.3K KWD 6,211

29.03%

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

$165 RON 745

$32.77 KWD 10.05

402.29%

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

$8.94 RON 40.48

$20.76 KWD 6.37

-56.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 46.02

$30.42 KWD 9.33

-66.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$95.6 KWD 29.31

-47.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 106

$65.2 KWD 19.98

-64.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.99

$11.11 KWD 3.41

-10.62%

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

$624 RON 2,827

$275 KWD 84.4

126.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.3K

$6,291 KWD 1,929

59.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 425

$37.48 KWD 11.49

150.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 224

$38.10 KWD 11.68

29.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 468

$89.7 KWD 27.49

15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 530

$64.8 KWD 19.86

80.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,065

$889 KWD 273

-23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,524

$641 KWD 196

-12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,413

$1,767 KWD 542

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,824

$1,367 KWD 419

-38.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,070

$2,784 KWD 854

-51.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.53

4.13%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $889 in As-salimiyah. 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 108% higher in As-salimiyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $59.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Cluj-Napoca vs $157 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cluj-Napoca is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,232 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $2,029 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,352 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,488. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 As-salimiyah. 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.