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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,387 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,860 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 52% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 3% above the global median, while Bacau is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.1

$11.60 RON 52.5

-0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 263

$45.83 RON 207

26.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.10

$8.27 RON 37.38

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.25

$2.32 RON 10.47

45.26%

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

$2.42 RON 10.93

$2.18 RON 9.85

11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.90

$1.83 RON 8.28

19.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.70

$2.26 RON 10.24

43.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.61

$3.64 RON 16.45

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.37 RON 6.20

27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.03

$0.89 RON 4.03

49.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.31

$1.72 RON 7.75

6.98%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.64

$3.79 RON 17.12

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 45.88

$8.37 RON 37.84

21.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.15

$6.14 RON 27.73

12.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 54.6

$9.44 RON 42.69

27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.57

$1.25 RON 5.66

-1.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.57 RON 7.10

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.02

$1.74 RON 7.85

-10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.51

$1.93 RON 8.70

20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$0.90 RON 4.09

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.84 RON 3.81

15.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.70

$0.67 RON 3.03

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.98

$0.79 RON 3.55

11.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.52

$5.69 RON 25.71

14.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 35.87

$6.72 RON 30.37

18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.10

$0.88 RON 3.97

28.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.26

$1.34 RON 6.07

52.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.63 RON 2.85

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 105

$31.81 RON 144

-26.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.61 RON 2.77

63.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.02

$0.60 RON 2.71

48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 42.70

$7.71 RON 34.85

22.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.63

$1.58 RON 7.14

6.96%

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

$28.4K RON 128.6K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

1.18%

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

$27.1K RON 122.3K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

1.10%

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

$161 RON 730

$114 RON 516

41.51%

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

$9.19 RON 41.52

$8.19 RON 37.03

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.65

$5.23 RON 23.62

84.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 202

$25.17 RON 114

77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 89.8

$23.37 RON 106

-15.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.30

$6.77 RON 30.61

21.86%

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

$491 RON 2,220

$654 RON 2,958

-24.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.0K

$5,513 RON 24.9K

96.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 320

$90.4 RON 409

-21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 178

$35.64 RON 161

10.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 380

$62.4 RON 282

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 450

$98.2 RON 444

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,129

$321 RON 1,449

115.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,485

$187 RON 844

194.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,625

$507 RON 2,290

145.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,174

$368 RON 1,662

151.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.3K

$1,893 RON 8,559

137.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.0K

$1,242 RON 5,612

168.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,231

$1,020 RON 4,609

35.19%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $321 in Bacau. 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 35% 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 $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $198 – making Bacau 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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cluj-Napoca is pricier by about 52%, 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 $2,080 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,368 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca and $912 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – 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 Bacau. 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.