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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $891 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,471 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,051 in Bamako.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 54% more expensive than Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Bamako is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.6

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

69.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 263

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

53.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.71

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

29.07%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.07

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

85.79%

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

$2.30 RON 10.45

$0.75 F CFA 424

206.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.70

$0.59 F CFA 337

261.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.91

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

36.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.27

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

-81.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.14

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-21.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.13

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

-65.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.61

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.82

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

-51.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.59

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

-42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.11

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

-55.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.8

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.39

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

-70.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.83

$1.02 F CFA 582

68.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.43

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

-43.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.99

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

12.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.33

$1.34 F CFA 764

-29.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.36 F CFA 775

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.92

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

980.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

-68.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.81

$0.94 F CFA 536

597.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.26

$1.51 F CFA 860

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.90

$1.61 F CFA 916

21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

-85.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$1.27 F CFA 720

-32.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.75

$1.16 F CFA 659

46.55%

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

$28.5K RON 129.6K

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

$26.7K RON 121.4K

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

$156 RON 708

$151 F CFA 85.9K

3.10%

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

$9.13 RON 41.50

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.87

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

-82.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 203

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

-34.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 92.1

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

387.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.57

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

45.09%

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

$481 RON 2,187

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,212

$173 F CFA 98.3K

308.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,564

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

591.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,734

$398 F CFA 226.2K

217.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,230

$294 F CFA 167.2K

216.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.9K

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

178.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,224

$260 F CFA 147.8K

426.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 427% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $358, with Cluj-Napoca cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bamako: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cluj-Napoca pays 427% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $173 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,374 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $891 in Bamako – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 53% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $891 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Bamako are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.