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 $1,497 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $988 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,668 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,348 in Bacau, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 51% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 9% above the global median, while Bacau is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 59.9

$12.21 RON 55.1

8.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$88.8 RON 401

-35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.72

$8.61 RON 38.89

17.65%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.68

$2.04 RON 9.22

92.16%

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

$2.54 RON 11.46

$2.05 RON 9.24

23.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$1.92 RON 8.67

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.62

$2.69 RON 12.15

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.71

$3.35 RON 15.13

30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.66 RON 7.48

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.24 RON 5.60

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.59

$1.62 RON 7.32

17.28%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.03

$3.28 RON 14.79

21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.79

$8.30 RON 37.49

16.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 34.98

$5.70 RON 25.73

35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$9.72 RON 43.87

27.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.20 RON 5.42

25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.16

$1.51 RON 6.83

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.09

$1.51 RON 6.82

33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.88

$2.11 RON 9.53

24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.70 RON 3.18

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.69 RON 3.11

44.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.72 RON 3.23

36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.79 RON 3.59

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.41

$5.51 RON 24.86

22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.04

$6.44 RON 29.07

20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.03 RON 4.66

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.48 RON 6.67

21.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.78 RON 3.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$31.36 RON 142

1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.64 RON 2.89

51.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.67 RON 3.04

50.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.65

$6.48 RON 29.24

38.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.64

$1.90 RON 8.58

0.53%

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

$30.2K RON 136.3K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

1.31%

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

$26.4K RON 119.2K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

1.47%

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

$168 RON 756

$111 RON 503

50.31%

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

$8.78 RON 39.66

$11.43 RON 51.6

-23.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 46.98

$5.10 RON 23.03

104.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$27.34 RON 123

76.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$16.90 RON 76.3

41.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.82

$8.87 RON 40.03

14.43%

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

$613 RON 2,769

$422 RON 1,906

45.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.6K

$6,096 RON 27.5K

65.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 417

$75.4 RON 341

22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 216

$45.12 RON 204

6.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$96.6 RON 436

8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$99.8 RON 451

12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,002

$418 RON 1,887

59.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,473

$253 RON 1,141

116.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,473

$575 RON 2,594

110.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,876

$418 RON 1,885

105.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,907 RON 8,610

149.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,253 RON 5,658

186.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,163

$1,010 RON 4,560

35.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.97

-2.44%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $418 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 $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $89.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Cluj-Napoca vs $200 in Bacau – so Bacau 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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cluj-Napoca is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,246 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,482 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 $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca and $89.0 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 $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca and $988 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 $988, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. 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.