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: $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca versus $915 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,501 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,087 in Bamako.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 50% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Bamako is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 RON 51.8

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

73.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 RON 260

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.65

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

28.68%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.91

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

86.56%

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

$2.43 RON 11.14

$0.74 F CFA 429

228.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.20

$0.57 F CFA 326

289.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.45

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.71

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

-81.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.23

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

-20.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.96

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

-66.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.32

Eggs

$3.37 RON 15.45

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

-50.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 RON 45.87

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

-43.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RON 32.61

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

-54.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 RON 54.2

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.48

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

-69.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.18

$1.02 F CFA 589

74.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.42

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

-42.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.87

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

9.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$1.35 F CFA 777

-24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.51

$1.37 F CFA 788

-28.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

890.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

-65.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 29.47

$0.97 F CFA 557

562.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.36

$1.54 F CFA 890

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$1.66 F CFA 958

21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

-85.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$1.22 F CFA 703

-31.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.15 F CFA 662

44.35%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

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

$26.1K RON 119.5K

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

$161 RON 739

$150 F CFA 86.2K

7.71%

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

$8.89 RON 40.76

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 46.22

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

-82.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 200

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

-35.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 RON 91.1

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

398.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.82

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

43.73%

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

$476 RON 2,180

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 394

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,255

$175 F CFA 100.7K

306.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 RON 2,518

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

591.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 RON 5,737

$405 F CFA 233.3K

209.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,256

$295 F CFA 170.2K

214.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

175.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,232

$264 F CFA 152.5K

413.94%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bamako: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Cluj-Napoca and $175 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 414% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $356, 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 50% 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.

Average pay runs 414% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 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: $710 in Cluj-Napoca versus $175 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,373 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $915 in Bamako – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 52% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,373 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 $915 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 50% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.