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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,254 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,956 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,657 in Brasov.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 12% more expensive than in Brasov, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 6% above, Brasov is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.4

$12.42 RON 57.0

-8.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$50.8 RON 233

13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$8.07 RON 37.06

0.87%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.54

$3.58 RON 16.42

-5.31%

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

$2.35 RON 10.78

$1.90 RON 8.74

23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$2.01 RON 9.25

4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.99

$3.25 RON 14.92

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.46

$3.42 RON 15.68

17.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.54 RON 7.07

16.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.29 RON 5.93

4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.56

$1.81 RON 8.32

2.76%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.38

$3.36 RON 15.43

-0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.47

$8.83 RON 40.51

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.40

$7.03 RON 32.27

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.8

$11.75 RON 54.0

1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.14 RON 5.26

8.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.91

$1.66 RON 7.61

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.52

$1.55 RON 7.12

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.90

$2.49 RON 11.41

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.94 RON 4.34

1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.06 RON 4.89

-12.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.99

$0.88 RON 4.02

23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.79 RON 3.64

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.94

$5.85 RON 26.85

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.10

$7.84 RON 35.98

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.38

$1.11 RON 5.09

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$1.71 RON 7.86

18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.91 RON 4.16

-21.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$18.69 RON 85.8

25.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.77 RON 3.53

23.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.60 RON 2.76

35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.86

$6.78 RON 31.13

41.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.47

$1.61 RON 7.37

1.24%

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

$27.6K RON 126.7K

$28.1K RON 129.0K

-1.78%

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

$27.1K RON 124.4K

$27.5K RON 126.3K

-1.56%

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

$160 RON 734

$165 RON 758

-3.18%

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

$9.06 RON 41.60

$8.19 RON 37.58

10.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.54

$8.83 RON 40.53

14.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$60.0 RON 276

-25.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.5

$15.81 RON 72.6

26.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.41

$10.79 RON 49.54

-26.51%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$447 RON 2,053

6.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.4K

$6,652 RON 30.5K

61.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$68.0 RON 312

3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$42.68 RON 196

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 397

$95.6 RON 439

-9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$98.3 RON 451

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,278

$626 RON 2,873

14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,566

$428 RON 1,964

30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,709

$1,029 RON 4,725

20.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,329

$699 RON 3,208

34.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$3,177 RON 14.6K

46.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$2,402 RON 11.0K

41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,032

$1,127 RON 5,176

16.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.7

-24.03%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $714 in Cluj-Napoca and $626 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 17% 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 $51.0 in Brasov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $223 per month, with Brasov 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 Brasov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cluj-Napoca and Brasov differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,410 vs $1,254 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $626 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,410 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,254 in Brasov – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Brasov 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 Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.