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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,053 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,537 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,021 in Calafat, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 42% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 9% above the global median, while Calafat is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 59.9

$7.57 RON 34.16

75.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$37.29 RON 168

52.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.72

$7.96 RON 35.96

27.26%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.68

$2.16 RON 9.74

81.48%

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

$2.54 RON 11.46

$1.57 RON 7.09

61.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$0.93 RON 4.18

156.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.62

$1.08 RON 4.87

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.71

$2.04 RON 9.22

113.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.20 RON 5.42

45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$0.81 RON 3.65

93.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.59

$1.43 RON 6.44

32.87%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.03

$2.42 RON 10.90

64.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.79

$7.39 RON 33.35

31.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 34.98

$6.55 RON 29.58

18.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$6.85 RON 30.94

80.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.02 RON 4.61

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.16

$1.50 RON 6.79

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.09

$1.36 RON 6.12

47.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.88

$1.53 RON 6.90

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.64 RON 2.89

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.76 RON 3.45

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.73 RON 3.28

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.77 RON 3.46

38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.41

$5.47 RON 24.70

23.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.04

$6.80 RON 30.70

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$0.92 RON 4.14

40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.60 RON 7.22

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.82 RON 3.69

-4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$22.74 RON 103

39.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.55 RON 2.47

76.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.57 RON 2.57

77.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.65

$6.46 RON 29.18

39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.64

$1.58 RON 7.15

20.89%

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

$30.2K RON 136.3K

$27.7K RON 125.0K

9.03%

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

$26.4K RON 119.2K

$27.5K RON 124.2K

-4.01%

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

$168 RON 756

$220 RON 995

-23.97%

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

$8.78 RON 39.66

$7.87 RON 35.53

11.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 46.98

$6.69 RON 30.19

55.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$40.93 RON 185

17.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$21.32 RON 96.2

12.20%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.82

$8.41 RON 37.97

20.69%

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

$613 RON 2,769

$444 RON 2,003

38.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.6K

$8,681 RON 39.2K

16.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 417

$68.5 RON 309

34.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 216

$44.35 RON 200

8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$79.6 RON 359

31.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$88.0 RON 397

27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,002

$409 RON 1,848

62.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,473

$299 RON 1,350

83.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,473

$645 RON 2,910

88.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,876

$473 RON 2,137

81.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,965 RON 8,871

142.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,393 RON 6,290

157.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,163

$845 RON 3,813

61.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

13.33%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calafat: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $409 in Calafat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Cluj-Napoca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $37.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $175 – making Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,053 in Calafat – roughly 42% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,246 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,580 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,053 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. In Calafat 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 $1,053 in Calafat to $1,497 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 Calafat. 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.