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 $1,384 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,437 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,092 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,311 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,800 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $3,186 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca is about 4% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cluj-Napoca and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Cluj-Napoca by 3%, As-salimiyah by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 RON 50.4

$10.01 KWD 3.08

16.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 RON 245

$44.09 KWD 13.58

28.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 RON 34.31

$7.99 KWD 2.46

-1.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$3.52 RON 15.29

$5.78 KWD 1.78

-39.10%

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

$2.40 RON 10.42

$0.67 KWD 0.21

258.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 RON 9.54

$0.35 KWD 0.11

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 RON 13.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 RON 17.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 7.79

$1.51 KWD 0.46

19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.62

$0.88 KWD 0.27

46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.14

$1.65 KWD 0.51

13.94%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 14.63

$2.01 KWD 0.62

67.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 RON 44.33

$5.02 KWD 1.55

103.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 31.57

$6.36 KWD 1.96

14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 RON 52.5

$10.53 KWD 3.24

14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.40

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-37.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.77

$1.61 KWD 0.50

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.11

$1.60 KWD 0.49

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.42

$1.38 KWD 0.42

73.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.09

$1.24 KWD 0.38

-24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 3.96

$0.87 KWD 0.27

4.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.48

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-33.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.12

$0.49 KWD 0.15

93.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 RON 28.43

$3.01 KWD 0.93

117.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 RON 33.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 4.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 8.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.07

$1.11 KWD 0.34

-36.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 RON 99.2

$48.42 KWD 14.91

-52.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.29

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-68.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.63

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-73.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 RON 39.39

$16.21 KWD 4.99

-43.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.29

$0.32 KWD 0.10

425.00%

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

$28.6K RON 123.9K

$21.2K KWD 6,520

34.89%

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

$26.5K RON 115.2K

$19.6K KWD 6,042

35.33%

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

$158 RON 685

$38.70 KWD 11.92

307.67%

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

$9.15 RON 39.69

$18.40 KWD 5.67

-50.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 RON 43.97

$25.31 KWD 7.80

-59.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 RON 190

$92.4 KWD 28.46

-52.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.09 RON 87.2

$65.3 KWD 20.11

-69.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 RON 35.17

$8.43 KWD 2.60

-3.91%

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

$479 RON 2,080

$277 KWD 85.4

72.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 46.2K

$6,540 KWD 2,014

62.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 RON 299

$41.35 KWD 12.74

66.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 RON 172

$43.12 KWD 13.28

-8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 363

$86.9 KWD 26.78

-3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 RON 428

$68.2 KWD 21.01

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 RON 3,056

$953 KWD 293

-26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,451

$724 KWD 223

-22.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 RON 5,569

$1,875 KWD 578

-31.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,037

$1,372 KWD 422

-32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 RON 20.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 14.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,404 RON 6,093

$2,846 KWD 876

-50.66%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Cluj-Napoca versus $953 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 103% 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 $56 in Cluj-Napoca versus $44 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $167 – 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 4%, 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 $2,077 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $2,155 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 $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,437 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% 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 $1,384, than in As-salimiyah at $1,437. 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.