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 $1,374 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $975 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,111 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $1,488 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,848 per month in Cluj-Napoca vs $2,001 in Calarasi, rent included.

Cluj-Napoca costs about 41% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cluj-Napoca sits 2% above the global median, while Calarasi is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.4

$10.08 RON 45.61

14.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 261

$28.11 RON 127

105.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.53

$7.79 RON 35.22

3.72%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.99

$2.58 RON 11.67

36.82%

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

$2.30 RON 10.40

$1.54 RON 6.99

49.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.65

$1.87 RON 8.48

13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.84

$2.28 RON 10.32

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.18

$3.50 RON 15.84

14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.36 RON 6.14

31.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.10

$1.06 RON 4.79

27.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.56

$1.75 RON 7.91

8.00%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.75

$3.33 RON 15.04

-2.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.36

$8.96 RON 40.52

14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 31.96

$7.14 RON 32.28

-1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.6

$8.90 RON 40.27

35.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.36

$1.18 RON 5.34

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.43 RON 6.47

20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.39

$1.35 RON 6.09

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.93

$1.96 RON 8.89

23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.77 RON 3.46

23.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$0.94 RON 4.24

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.71 RON 3.19

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.84 RON 3.82

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.67

$5.65 RON 25.55

16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.09

$4.38 RON 19.83

77.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.23

$0.97 RON 4.38

19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.86

$1.37 RON 6.20

43.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.44 RON 2.01

52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 102

$13.70 RON 62.0

65.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$0.72 RON 3.26

38.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$0.61 RON 2.78

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.67

$5.65 RON 25.57

66.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.71

$1.59 RON 7.20

6.92%

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

$28.5K RON 128.9K

$24.9K RON 112.5K

14.66%

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

$26.7K RON 120.8K

$27.2K RON 123.1K

-1.88%

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

$156 RON 704

$146 RON 659

6.83%

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

$9.13 RON 41.29

$8.53 RON 38.58

7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.65

$7.52 RON 34.00

31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 202

$70.3 RON 318

-36.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.6

$19.24 RON 87.0

5.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.39

$5.97 RON 26.98

38.53%

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

$481 RON 2,176

$429 RON 1,938

12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.5K

$6,987 RON 31.6K

50.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 314

$81.3 RON 368

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 184

$42.78 RON 194

-4.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 382

$76.0 RON 344

11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 452

$99.6 RON 450

0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,196

$392 RON 1,774

80.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,552

$226 RON 1,021

149.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,706

$599 RON 2,709

110.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,209

$373 RON 1,688

149.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,241 RON 5,612

289.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$960 RON 4,341

263.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,194

$749 RON 3,387

82.85%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $392 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 83% 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: $234 vs $197 – 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: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, $975 in Calarasi – roughly 41% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,061 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $1,463 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 $481 per month in Cluj-Napoca and $429 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 $975, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,374. 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 $975 in Calarasi to $1,374 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.