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: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,403 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,267 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $3,132 in Brasov.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 6% more expensive than in Brasov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cluj-Napoca 8% above, Brasov 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 61.0

$12.40 RON 56.2

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 259

$54.9 RON 249

4.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.59

$7.69 RON 34.83

30.95%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.74

$3.88 RON 17.59

1.03%

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

$2.47 RON 11.21

$2.50 RON 11.32

-1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.17

$2.25 RON 10.21

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.23

$3.41 RON 15.46

-1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.21

$3.60 RON 16.28

23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.60 RON 7.25

8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.47 RON 6.65

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$1.87 RON 8.48

-0.53%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.67

$3.62 RON 16.38

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.87

$9.25 RON 41.91

4.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.26

$7.15 RON 32.37

8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.8

$13.19 RON 59.7

-8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$1.61 RON 7.29

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.64 RON 7.44

9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.90

$1.68 RON 7.63

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.65

$2.73 RON 12.37

-5.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.82 RON 3.71

21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$0.96 RON 4.35

9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$0.95 RON 4.29

8.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.85 RON 3.84

21.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.60

$6.34 RON 28.73

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.16

$7.52 RON 34.06

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.31 RON 5.93

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.42

$1.97 RON 8.93

-5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$1.09 RON 4.96

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 147

$24.53 RON 111

31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.71 RON 3.21

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.72 RON 3.28

36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.30

$6.83 RON 30.95

33.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$1.91 RON 8.67

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

$29.3K RON 132.8K

$29.7K RON 134.5K

-1.28%

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

$26.1K RON 118.4K

$27.9K RON 126.3K

-6.28%

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

$165 RON 745

$185 RON 838

-11.08%

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

$8.94 RON 40.48

$8.33 RON 37.73

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 46.02

$9.78 RON 44.30

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$61.6 RON 279

-18.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 106

$14.53 RON 65.8

60.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.99

$9.93 RON 44.98

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

$624 RON 2,827

$466 RON 2,110

34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.3K

$7,297 RON 33.0K

37.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 425

$55.7 RON 252

68.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 224

$37.78 RON 171

30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 468

$79.9 RON 362

29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 530

$93.9 RON 425

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,065

$711 RON 3,219

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,524

$490 RON 2,220

13.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,413

$1,343 RON 6,084

-11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,824

$1,081 RON 4,896

-21.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$3,192 RON 14.5K

52.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.1K

$2,504 RON 11.3K

41.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,070

$1,130 RON 5,119

18.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.2

-5.56%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Brasov: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $711 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 19% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $55.0 in Brasov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $238 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,488 vs $1,403 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $711 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 $55.0 versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,488 per month in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,403 in Brasov – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,403 in Brasov versus $1,488 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 6% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.