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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,037 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,604 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,171 in Barlad, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 44% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 9% above the global median, while Barlad is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 60.0

$10.64 RON 48.06

24.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$41.71 RON 188

36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.75

$7.50 RON 33.88

35.07%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$2.67 RON 12.06

46.82%

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

$2.54 RON 11.47

$2.04 RON 9.23

24.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$1.67 RON 7.57

43.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.63

$2.14 RON 9.69

51.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.72

$2.58 RON 11.64

68.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.40 RON 6.32

24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.29 RON 5.83

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.60

$1.41 RON 6.38

34.75%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.05

$3.10 RON 13.98

28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.82

$7.41 RON 33.47

30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 35.01

$6.52 RON 29.44

18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$10.62 RON 47.99

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.26 RON 5.69

19.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.17

$1.45 RON 6.54

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.10

$1.38 RON 6.23

45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.89

$2.30 RON 10.39

14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.78 RON 3.54

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.78 RON 3.50

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.85 RON 3.85

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.83

$0.94 RON 4.23

13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.43

$6.86 RON 31.00

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.06

$6.36 RON 28.71

22.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$1.26 RON 5.69

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.14

$1.51 RON 6.82

19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.52 RON 2.37

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$21.51 RON 97.2

47.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.75 RON 3.40

29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.74 RON 3.35

36.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.68

$7.04 RON 31.82

27.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.65

$1.84 RON 8.30

3.80%

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

$30.2K RON 136.4K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

5.75%

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

$26.4K RON 119.3K

$29.1K RON 131.6K

-9.35%

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

$168 RON 757

$165 RON 743

1.83%

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

$8.78 RON 39.68

$9.46 RON 42.73

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 47.01

$9.15 RON 41.34

13.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$36.78 RON 166

31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$22.62 RON 102

5.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.85

$7.18 RON 32.44

41.36%

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

$613 RON 2,771

$444 RON 2,008

38.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.7K

$6,345 RON 28.7K

59.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 418

$61.9 RON 280

49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 217

$42.63 RON 193

12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$86.0 RON 388

21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$76.7 RON 347

46.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,004

$354 RON 1,600

87.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,474

$328 RON 1,483

66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,477

$609 RON 2,753

98.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,878

$450 RON 2,033

90.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,862 RON 8,414

155.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,415 RON 6,393

153.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,167

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 Barlad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $354 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $42.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $204 – making Barlad 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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,037 in Barlad – roughly 44% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,246 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,556 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $613 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $444 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cluj-Napoca has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,037 in Barlad to $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Barlad. 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.