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 $1,361 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,448 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,276 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,887 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $3,103 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca is about 6% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cluj-Napoca and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Cluj-Napoca by 2%, As-salimiyah by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 52.0

$9.60 KWD 2.98

18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 263

$44.54 KWD 13.82

29.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.25

$7.97 KWD 2.47

-0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.13

$5.91 KWD 1.84

-40.27%

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

$2.37 RON 10.84

$0.67 KWD 0.21

253.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.70

$0.37 KWD 0.11

472.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.35

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.45 KWD 0.45

22.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.97

$0.83 KWD 0.26

57.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.29

$1.67 KWD 0.52

8.38%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.24

$2.11 KWD 0.65

58.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.90

$4.77 KWD 1.48

106.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.21

$6.43 KWD 2.00

13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.8

$10.43 KWD 3.24

15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.62

$2.00 KWD 0.62

-38.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.61 KWD 0.50

9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.12

$1.57 KWD 0.49

-0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.79

$1.36 KWD 0.42

73.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.26 KWD 0.39

-25.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.43

$0.87 KWD 0.27

11.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-28.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$0.49 KWD 0.15

87.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.40

$3.00 KWD 0.93

114.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$1.16 KWD 0.36

-42.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$49.66 KWD 15.41

-53.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.51

$3.28 KWD 1.02

-69.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.75

$3.15 KWD 0.98

-73.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.61

$16.09 KWD 4.99

-43.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$0.34 KWD 0.11

397.06%

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

$28.4K RON 129.9K

$20.8K KWD 6,464

36.50%

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

$27.0K RON 123.4K

$19.7K KWD 6,118

37.07%

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

$158 RON 723

$39.50 KWD 12.26

300.71%

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

$8.72 RON 39.83

$18.54 KWD 5.75

-52.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.28

$25.52 KWD 7.92

-61.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 198

$94.7 KWD 29.38

-54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 92.3

$64.9 KWD 20.14

-68.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.91

$8.67 KWD 2.69

-9.34%

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

$492 RON 2,249

$281 KWD 87.3

75.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.9K

$6,536 KWD 2,028

60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 320

$42.93 KWD 13.32

63.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 187

$42.60 KWD 13.22

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 385

$88.1 KWD 27.33

-4.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$69.4 KWD 21.55

45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,250

$968 KWD 300

-26.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,502

$711 KWD 221

-22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,788

$1,889 KWD 586

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,294

$1,337 KWD 415

-29.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,050

$2,728 KWD 847

-51.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.14

-18.07%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Cluj-Napoca versus $968 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 106% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $45.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $166 – making As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,041 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $2,172 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cluj-Napoca, 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 $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,448 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% less in Cluj-Napoca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cluj-Napoca, where all-in costs run around $1,361, than in As-salimiyah at $1,448. In Cluj-Napoca it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cluj-Napoca – 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 Cluj-Napoca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.