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 $1,373 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,036 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,583 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,854 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,131 in Barlad, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 32% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 3% above the global median, while Barlad is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 RON 51.8

$9.37 RON 42.97

20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 RON 260

$45.54 RON 209

24.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.67

$8.11 RON 37.22

1.23%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.91

$2.69 RON 12.34

29.00%

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

$2.43 RON 11.15

$1.95 RON 8.94

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.20

$1.68 RON 7.70

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.46

$2.25 RON 10.33

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.72

$2.69 RON 12.32

43.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.55 RON 7.10

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.96

$1.24 RON 5.68

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.67 RON 7.68

8.98%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 15.46

$3.38 RON 15.52

-0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 RON 45.89

$8.34 RON 38.28

19.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RON 32.63

$6.72 RON 30.83

5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 RON 54.2

$10.44 RON 47.89

13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.48

$1.18 RON 5.42

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.18

$1.60 RON 7.34

11.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.42

$1.61 RON 7.38

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.87

$2.01 RON 9.21

17.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.89 RON 4.10

14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.52

$0.99 RON 4.56

-1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.87 RON 3.99

25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.77 RON 3.54

22.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 29.49

$5.90 RON 27.04

8.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.75

$7.17 RON 32.91

8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.36

$1.08 RON 4.94

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$1.65 RON 7.55

21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.72 RON 3.28

-1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

$19.86 RON 91.1

17.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.78 RON 3.56

29.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$0.70 RON 3.22

18.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.91

$6.88 RON 31.55

39.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.59 RON 7.31

4.40%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$28.1K RON 128.7K

0.11%

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

$26.1K RON 119.6K

$27.3K RON 125.5K

-4.71%

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

$161 RON 739

$151 RON 692

6.79%

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

$8.89 RON 40.78

$8.30 RON 38.09

7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 46.25

$8.94 RON 41.01

12.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 200

$40.77 RON 187

7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 RON 91.2

$19.45 RON 89.2

2.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.84

$7.06 RON 32.37

16.86%

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

$476 RON 2,181

$433 RON 1,988

9.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

$6,858 RON 31.5K

58.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

$67.4 RON 309

4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

$38.67 RON 177

5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 395

$75.3 RON 345

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$91.7 RON 421

9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,256

$391 RON 1,796

81.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 RON 2,519

$287 RON 1,315

91.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 RON 5,740

$591 RON 2,709

111.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,258

$443 RON 2,031

109.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

$1,722 RON 7,901

178.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

$1,423 RON 6,530

140.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,235

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Cluj-Napoca versus $391 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 $46.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $210 – 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: $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,036 in Barlad – roughly 32% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,059 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,554 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 $476 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 $1,036, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,373. 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 $1,036 in Barlad to $1,373 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.