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 $1,387 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,025 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,587 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,860 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,150 in Barlad, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 35% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 3% above the global median, while Barlad is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.5

$9.37 RON 42.67

23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 265

$46.93 RON 214

23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.36

$7.83 RON 35.66

4.85%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.35

$2.70 RON 12.30

24.81%

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

$2.42 RON 11.01

$1.99 RON 9.04

21.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.97

$1.74 RON 7.94

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.81

$2.35 RON 10.72

38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.74

$2.71 RON 12.32

43.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.91

$1.48 RON 6.74

17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.07

$1.19 RON 5.41

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.37

$1.73 RON 7.89

6.36%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.74

$3.35 RON 15.26

-3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 46.20

$8.39 RON 38.19

20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.38

$6.87 RON 31.27

0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 55.0

$10.50 RON 47.82

15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$1.13 RON 5.15

8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.87

$1.60 RON 7.27

8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.07

$1.61 RON 7.32

-3.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.59

$1.93 RON 8.77

20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.63

$0.84 RON 3.84

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$0.92 RON 4.19

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.73

$0.90 RON 4.08

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.82 RON 3.72

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.73

$5.84 RON 26.60

11.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 36.13

$5.91 RON 26.89

34.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$1.03 RON 4.69

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.33

$1.69 RON 7.70

21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.71 RON 3.24

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 106

$19.73 RON 89.8

18.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.76 RON 3.48

31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$0.74 RON 3.35

20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 43.00

$7.09 RON 32.26

33.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.69

$1.54 RON 7.00

9.74%

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

$28.4K RON 129.5K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

0.53%

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

$27.1K RON 123.2K

$26.9K RON 122.5K

0.55%

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

$161 RON 735

$147 RON 668

9.98%

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

$9.19 RON 41.82

$7.88 RON 35.86

16.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.95

$9.12 RON 41.52

5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 204

$41.89 RON 191

6.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 90.4

$18.99 RON 86.5

4.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.56

$7.07 RON 32.20

16.69%

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

$491 RON 2,236

$433 RON 1,971

13.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.3K

$6,944 RON 31.6K

56.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 323

$68.0 RON 309

4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 180

$38.52 RON 175

2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$75.3 RON 343

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 453

$91.2 RON 415

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,151

$396 RON 1,802

74.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,503

$292 RON 1,327

88.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,665

$585 RON 2,665

112.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,203

$443 RON 2,018

108.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.5K

$1,967 RON 8,954

128.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.2K

$1,223 RON 5,566

172.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,275

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.56

-10.82%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $396 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 $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $47.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $207 – 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: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,025 in Barlad – roughly 35% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,080 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,537 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 18% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $491 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $433 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 $1,025, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. 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 $1,025 in Barlad to $1,387 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.