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 $1,387 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,050 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,566 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,860 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,083 in Calafat, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.1

$9.05 RON 40.93

27.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 263

$40.83 RON 185

42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.10

$8.01 RON 36.22

2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.25

$2.37 RON 10.71

42.19%

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

$2.42 RON 10.93

$0.94 RON 4.27

157.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.90

$0.88 RON 3.97

148.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.70

$1.18 RON 5.32

175.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.61

$2.03 RON 9.20

92.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.26 RON 5.68

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.03

$0.88 RON 3.98

51.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.31

$1.47 RON 6.63

25.17%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.64

$2.51 RON 11.36

29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 45.88

$7.35 RON 33.24

38.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.15

$6.76 RON 30.57

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 54.6

$6.75 RON 30.53

78.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.57

$1.12 RON 5.05

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.58 RON 7.15

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.02

$1.36 RON 6.13

13.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.51

$1.65 RON 7.45

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$0.70 RON 3.17

45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.84 RON 3.79

15.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.70

$0.79 RON 3.58

31.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.98

$0.74 RON 3.36

18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.52

$5.80 RON 26.23

12.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 35.87

$5.92 RON 26.75

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.10

$0.94 RON 4.23

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.26

$2.05 RON 9.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.66 RON 2.97

6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 105

$19.93 RON 90.1

17.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.56 RON 2.54

78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.02

$0.53 RON 2.41

67.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 42.70

$6.77 RON 30.62

39.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.63

$1.59 RON 7.19

6.29%

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

$28.4K RON 128.6K

$28.3K RON 127.8K

0.65%

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

$27.1K RON 122.3K

$27.6K RON 124.6K

-1.81%

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

$161 RON 730

$212 RON 960

-24.00%

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

$9.19 RON 41.52

$8.19 RON 37.03

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.65

$7.09 RON 32.07

36.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 202

$41.54 RON 188

7.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 89.8

$18.88 RON 85.4

5.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.30

$6.44 RON 29.12

28.11%

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

$491 RON 2,220

$432 RON 1,951

13.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.0K

$9,010 RON 40.7K

20.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 320

$80.3 RON 363

-11.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 178

$37.30 RON 169

5.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 380

$77.8 RON 352

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 450

$86.3 RON 390

15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,129

$384 RON 1,737

80.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,485

$290 RON 1,311

89.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,625

$579 RON 2,619

114.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,174

$434 RON 1,960

112.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.3K

$1,834 RON 8,291

145.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.0K

$1,352 RON 6,111

146.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,231

$860 RON 3,888

60.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

-2.50%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calafat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $384 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 60% 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 $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca versus $41.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $179 – 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: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,050 in Calafat – roughly 32% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,080 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,575 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 $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,050 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $1,050, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. 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 $1,050 in Calafat to $1,387 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.