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 $1,361 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $984 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,489 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,887 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,995 in Calarasi, rent included.

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

Cluj-Napoca sits 2% above the global median, while Calarasi is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 51.8

$10.05 RON 45.74

13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 262

$28.17 RON 128

104.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.13

$7.61 RON 34.64

4.34%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.08

$2.56 RON 11.64

37.89%

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

$2.37 RON 10.80

$1.53 RON 6.98

54.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.66

$1.82 RON 8.31

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.25

$2.32 RON 10.54

34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.29

$3.40 RON 15.49

18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.41 RON 6.43

25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.05 RON 4.78

24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.26

$1.76 RON 7.99

2.84%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.19

$3.35 RON 15.24

-0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.75

$8.64 RON 39.33

13.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.10

$6.96 RON 31.66

4.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.6

$8.93 RON 40.63

34.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.60

$1.21 RON 5.50

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.06

$1.48 RON 6.74

19.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.28 RON 5.80

21.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.75

$1.98 RON 9.01

19.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$0.76 RON 3.45

23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.42

$0.89 RON 4.06

8.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$0.76 RON 3.44

43.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$0.85 RON 3.87

8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.30

$5.69 RON 25.89

13.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.31

$4.39 RON 20.00

71.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.31

$0.96 RON 4.36

21.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.92

$1.41 RON 6.42

39.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.44 RON 2.02

52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$13.55 RON 61.7

71.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.67 RON 3.04

47.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.60 RON 2.74

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.47

$5.89 RON 26.80

54.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.67

$1.59 RON 7.24

6.29%

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

$28.4K RON 129.4K

$25.3K RON 115.3K

12.22%

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

$27.0K RON 123.0K

$26.9K RON 122.4K

0.47%

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

$158 RON 720

$146 RON 664

8.51%

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

$8.72 RON 39.70

$8.55 RON 38.93

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.13

$7.26 RON 33.05

36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 197

$68.6 RON 312

-36.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 92.0

$18.86 RON 85.9

7.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.79

$6.14 RON 27.93

28.01%

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

$492 RON 2,241

$425 RON 1,935

15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

$6,986 RON 31.8K

50.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 319

$82.5 RON 376

-15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 187

$42.94 RON 195

-4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$75.4 RON 343

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 461

$99.0 RON 451

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,240

$383 RON 1,742

85.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,494

$228 RON 1,038

140.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,769

$581 RON 2,645

118.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,280

$374 RON 1,704

151.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.1K

$1,244 RON 5,660

290.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

$970 RON 4,413

251.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,030

$741 RON 3,370

78.92%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Cluj-Napoca versus $383 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 79% 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: $233 vs $196 – 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: $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca, $984 in Calarasi – roughly 38% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,041 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,476 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 $492 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $425 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $984, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,361. 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 $984 in Calarasi to $1,361 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.