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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,075 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,660 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,246 in Braila.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 28% more expensive than Braila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Braila is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.4

$13.57 RON 61.4

-14.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 261

$46.96 RON 212

23.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.53

$8.24 RON 37.28

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.99

$2.78 RON 12.57

26.98%

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

$2.30 RON 10.40

$1.92 RON 8.67

19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.65

$1.74 RON 7.87

22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.84

$2.29 RON 10.34

43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.18

$3.25 RON 14.70

23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.57 RON 7.09

14.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.10

$1.25 RON 5.65

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.56

$1.86 RON 8.42

1.61%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.75

$3.44 RON 15.57

-5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.36

$8.41 RON 38.05

21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 31.96

$6.67 RON 30.16

5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.6

$10.56 RON 47.77

14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.36

$1.20 RON 5.45

-1.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.66 RON 7.49

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.39

$1.71 RON 7.74

-4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.93

$1.93 RON 8.72

25.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.81 RON 3.65

17.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$1.09 RON 4.93

-14.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.68 RON 3.07

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.76 RON 3.45

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.67

$5.76 RON 26.05

13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.09

$6.53 RON 29.53

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.23

$1.07 RON 4.86

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.86

$1.67 RON 7.56

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.65 RON 2.95

3.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 102

$16.15 RON 73.1

40.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$0.90 RON 4.06

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$0.61 RON 2.75

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.67

$7.69 RON 34.81

22.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.71

$1.54 RON 6.97

10.39%

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

$28.5K RON 128.9K

$27.7K RON 125.5K

2.77%

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

$26.7K RON 120.8K

$27.9K RON 126.3K

-4.36%

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

$156 RON 704

$151 RON 684

2.91%

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

$9.13 RON 41.29

$7.79 RON 35.23

17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.65

$8.98 RON 40.62

9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 202

$34.16 RON 155

30.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.6

$13.68 RON 61.9

48.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.39

$6.89 RON 31.15

20.03%

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

$481 RON 2,176

$296 RON 1,341

62.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.5K

$7,003 RON 31.7K

49.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 314

$67.2 RON 304

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 184

$55.4 RON 250

-26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 382

$70.5 RON 319

19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 452

$113 RON 510

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,196

$377 RON 1,706

87.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,552

$305 RON 1,378

85.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,706

$577 RON 2,611

118.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,209

$465 RON 2,106

99.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,963 RON 8,878

146.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$1,410 RON 6,379

147.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,194

$876 RON 3,962

56.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.78

-13.72%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Braila: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $377 in Braila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 56% 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: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $47.00 in Braila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $210 per month, with Braila cheaper across the board.

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 Braila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Braila wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Braila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cluj-Napoca pays 56% more on average, 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: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $377 in Braila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Braila runs roughly 40% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Cluj-Napoca versus $296 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,075 in Braila versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Braila but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Braila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Braila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,075 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Braila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Braila 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 Braila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.