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: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $910 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,457 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,003 in Bamako.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 64% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Bamako is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 60.9

$8.30 F CFA 4,680

62.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 258

$35.70 F CFA 20.1K

60.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.46

$7.96 F CFA 4,485

26.51%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$1.70 F CFA 958

130.59%

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

$2.47 RON 11.18

$0.91 F CFA 514

171.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.14

$0.71 F CFA 399

247.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.19

$2.36 F CFA 1,329

42.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.15

$21.06 F CFA 11.9K

-78.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.93 F CFA 1,085

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$3.87 F CFA 2,181

-58.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.39

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.62

$5.89 F CFA 3,319

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.74

$17.51 F CFA 9,867

-44.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.16

$15.49 F CFA 8,729

-49.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.7

$12.70 F CFA 7,161

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.71

$4.11 F CFA 2,316

-63.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.09

$1.08 F CFA 607

65.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.87

$2.80 F CFA 1,578

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.62

$2.04 F CFA 1,152

25.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$1.21 F CFA 682

-17.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.17 F CFA 662

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.10 F CFA 57.5

930.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$2.68 F CFA 1,509

-61.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.51

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.50 F CFA 844

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.39

$1.67 F CFA 940

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$1.26 F CFA 709

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.18

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.60

$1.13 F CFA 638

69.03%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

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

$165 RON 743

$151 F CFA 85.3K

8.75%

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

$8.94 RON 40.37

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 45.89

$65.7 F CFA 37.0K

-84.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$70.5 F CFA 39.8K

-29.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.86

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

$624 RON 2,819

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,056

$178 F CFA 100.1K

281.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,517

$79.7 F CFA 44.9K

599.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,398

$500 F CFA 281.7K

139.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,814

$304 F CFA 171.4K

177.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.0K

$1,227 F CFA 691.7K

189.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,053

$259 F CFA 145.8K

418.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Bamako: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $178 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 418% 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 $36.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $347, 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 64% 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 418% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $178 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,488 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $910 in Bamako – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $910 in Bamako versus $1,488 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 $910 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 64% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.