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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,375 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,092 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,808 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 37% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cluj-Napoca sits 3% above the global median, while Calarasi is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 RON 50.1

$10.06 RON 43.84

14.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 RON 253

$27.69 RON 121

109.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 RON 35.98

$7.65 RON 33.34

7.84%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.40

$2.68 RON 11.69

31.72%

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

$2.33 RON 10.16

$1.48 RON 6.46

57.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.67

$1.87 RON 8.15

18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.92

$2.23 RON 9.74

43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 16.98

$3.38 RON 14.75

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.42 RON 6.18

21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.10 RON 4.79

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.26

$1.76 RON 7.68

7.39%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.10

$3.29 RON 14.34

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 RON 42.69

$8.95 RON 39.01

9.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 RON 31.19

$7.10 RON 30.95

0.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 RON 52.2

$9.08 RON 39.60

31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.37

$1.16 RON 5.08

6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.72

$1.48 RON 6.46

19.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.33 RON 5.82

21.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.34

$1.88 RON 8.22

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$0.75 RON 3.27

29.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.06

$0.88 RON 3.86

5.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.71 RON 3.08

46.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.78

$0.85 RON 3.70

2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 RON 28.40

$5.63 RON 24.56

15.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 33.97

$4.49 RON 19.56

73.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.08

$0.99 RON 4.30

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.53

$1.36 RON 5.93

44.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

$0.48 RON 2.07

39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.34 RON 102

$14.08 RON 61.4

65.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.36

$0.67 RON 2.91

49.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.57

$0.62 RON 2.69

32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 RON 41.50

$5.79 RON 25.23

64.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$1.59 RON 6.92

3.14%

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

$28.3K RON 123.5K

$24.9K RON 108.6K

13.79%

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

$26.9K RON 117.1K

$26.8K RON 116.9K

0.17%

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

$158 RON 688

$149 RON 649

5.88%

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

$8.92 RON 38.87

$8.35 RON 36.41

6.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 43.81

$7.52 RON 32.77

33.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 RON 190

$69.7 RON 304

-37.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 88.4

$19.43 RON 84.7

4.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 34.56

$5.85 RON 25.50

35.56%

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

$490 RON 2,136

$432 RON 1,883

13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 45.8K

$6,852 RON 29.9K

53.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 308

$84.0 RON 366

-15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 RON 177

$42.91 RON 187

-5.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 371

$73.6 RON 321

15.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 RON 434

$97.5 RON 425

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 RON 3,135

$389 RON 1,696

84.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,432

$229 RON 1,000

143.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,554

$581 RON 2,533

119.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 RON 4,144

$370 RON 1,612

157.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 RON 20.3K

$1,261 RON 5,496

269.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,361 RON 14.7K

$1,013 RON 4,418

231.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 RON 6,171

$779 RON 3,394

81.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.62

-11.63%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Cluj-Napoca versus $389 in Calarasi. 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 82% 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 $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $198 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 37% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,063 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,509 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Cluj-Napoca, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,375. In Calarasi 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 $1,006 in Calarasi to $1,375 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 Calarasi. 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.