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 $1,410 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 56% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 6% above the global median, while Bacau is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.4

$11.74 RON 53.9

-2.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$45.80 RON 210

26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$8.16 RON 37.44

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.54

$2.30 RON 10.56

47.39%

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

$2.35 RON 10.78

$2.20 RON 10.12

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.86 RON 8.52

13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.99

$2.32 RON 10.65

40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.46

$3.54 RON 16.27

13.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.34 RON 6.17

33.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$0.84 RON 3.86

60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.56

$1.71 RON 7.86

8.77%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.38

$3.67 RON 16.83

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.47

$8.33 RON 38.25

16.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.40

$6.22 RON 28.54

13.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.8

$9.10 RON 41.78

31.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.26 RON 5.80

-1.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.91

$1.62 RON 7.44

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.52

$1.73 RON 7.95

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.90

$1.83 RON 8.39

29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.93 RON 4.28

2.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$0.83 RON 3.83

12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.99

$0.71 RON 3.25

53.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.74 RON 3.38

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.94

$5.85 RON 26.87

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.10

$6.58 RON 30.19

16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.38

$0.87 RON 3.99

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$1.34 RON 6.14

51.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.63 RON 2.89

12.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$32.12 RON 147

-27.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.62 RON 2.86

53.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.64 RON 2.95

26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.86

$7.44 RON 34.15

28.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.47

$1.60 RON 7.34

1.87%

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

$27.6K RON 126.7K

$28.3K RON 129.8K

-2.37%

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

$27.1K RON 124.4K

$26.7K RON 122.4K

1.61%

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

$160 RON 734

$116 RON 532

37.93%

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

$9.06 RON 41.60

$8.53 RON 39.17

6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.54

$5.26 RON 24.16

92.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$24.94 RON 115

79.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.5

$23.39 RON 107

-14.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.41

$6.81 RON 31.25

16.45%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$654 RON 3,004

-27.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.4K

$5,516 RON 25.3K

94.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$90.4 RON 415

-22.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$35.38 RON 162

11.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 397

$63.7 RON 292

35.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$99.0 RON 455

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,278

$325 RON 1,493

119.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,566

$183 RON 840

205.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,709

$501 RON 2,301

148.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,329

$366 RON 1,679

157.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$1,828 RON 8,389

154.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$1,217 RON 5,586

178.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,032

$1,022 RON 4,691

28.58%

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 Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $325 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 29% 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 $195 – 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 56%, 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 $2,115 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,357 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 $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca and $905 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 $905, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,410. 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.