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 $1,410 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,025 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,549 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,073 in Calafat, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 38% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 6% above the global median, while Calafat is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.3

$9.44 RON 43.29

20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$41.31 RON 189

39.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.32

$8.11 RON 37.19

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.53

$2.37 RON 10.86

43.04%

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

$2.35 RON 10.77

$0.87 RON 4.01

170.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.66

$0.94 RON 4.29

124.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.97

$1.17 RON 5.36

178.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.45

$2.10 RON 9.63

91.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.22

$1.30 RON 5.96

37.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.18

$0.82 RON 3.75

64.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.55

$1.48 RON 6.80

25.68%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.37

$2.60 RON 11.93

28.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.43

$7.44 RON 34.12

30.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.37

$6.47 RON 29.67

9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.7

$6.94 RON 31.82

71.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.13 RON 5.18

9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.64 RON 7.52

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.39 RON 6.38

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.89

$1.65 RON 7.58

43.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.70 RON 3.23

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$0.78 RON 3.59

19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.77 RON 3.54

41.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.12

$0.75 RON 3.46

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.91

$5.74 RON 26.32

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.07

$5.93 RON 27.20

29.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.37

$0.93 RON 4.27

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$2.12 RON 9.73

-4.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.68 RON 3.10

4.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$19.55 RON 89.7

19.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.56 RON 2.57

69.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.54 RON 2.48

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.82

$6.94 RON 31.81

37.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.46

$1.61 RON 7.38

1.24%

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

$27.6K RON 126.6K

$28.2K RON 129.3K

-2.08%

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

$27.1K RON 124.2K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-0.72%

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

$160 RON 733

$210 RON 963

-23.83%

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

$9.06 RON 41.56

$8.21 RON 37.64

10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.49

$6.77 RON 31.03

49.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$42.16 RON 193

6.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.4

$19.48 RON 89.3

2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.38

$6.52 RON 29.91

21.63%

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

$475 RON 2,178

$434 RON 1,992

9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.3K

$8,950 RON 41.0K

20.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$77.8 RON 357

-10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$36.84 RON 169

7.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 396

$78.6 RON 361

9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$85.0 RON 390

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,275

$394 RON 1,806

81.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,563

$294 RON 1,347

90.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,704

$581 RON 2,666

113.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,324

$432 RON 1,981

118.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$2,113 RON 9,689

119.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$1,398 RON 6,410

142.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,026

$819 RON 3,754

60.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $394 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 61% 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: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,025 in Calafat – roughly 38% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,115 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,538 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 $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,025 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% 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 $1,025, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,410. 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 $1,025 in Calafat to $1,410 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.