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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 24% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Craiova is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 RON 50.1

$9.06 RON 39.52

26.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 RON 253

$45.77 RON 200

26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 RON 35.98

$8.27 RON 36.06

-0.24%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.40

$2.49 RON 10.84

41.77%

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

$2.33 RON 10.16

$2.19 RON 9.53

6.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.67

$1.96 RON 8.56

13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.92

$2.37 RON 10.32

34.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 16.98

$3.44 RON 14.98

13.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.57 RON 6.83

9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$0.99 RON 4.31

32.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.26

$1.69 RON 7.38

11.83%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.10

$3.35 RON 14.60

-3.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 RON 42.69

$7.70 RON 33.59

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 RON 31.19

$6.71 RON 29.25

6.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 RON 52.2

$9.78 RON 42.65

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.37

$1.27 RON 5.53

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.72

$1.66 RON 7.25

6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.57 RON 6.85

3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.34

$1.82 RON 7.94

30.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$1.03 RON 4.50

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.06

$1.10 RON 4.78

-15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.85 RON 3.70

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.78

$0.76 RON 3.31

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 RON 28.40

$5.95 RON 25.95

9.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 33.97

$6.35 RON 27.67

22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.08

$1.25 RON 5.47

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.53

$2.19 RON 9.55

-10.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

$0.71 RON 3.09

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.34 RON 102

$23.01 RON 100

1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.36

$0.61 RON 2.65

63.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.57

$0.81 RON 3.54

1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 RON 41.50

$6.87 RON 29.96

38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$1.57 RON 6.83

4.46%

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

$28.3K RON 123.5K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

1.72%

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

$26.9K RON 117.1K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

-1.91%

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

$158 RON 688

$207 RON 902

-23.79%

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

$8.92 RON 38.87

$7.90 RON 34.45

12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 43.81

$11.74 RON 51.2

-14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 RON 190

$36.46 RON 159

19.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 88.4

$18.49 RON 80.6

9.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 34.56

$6.75 RON 29.43

17.48%

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

$490 RON 2,136

$445 RON 1,941

10.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 45.8K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

18.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 308

$78.9 RON 344

-10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 RON 177

$37.74 RON 165

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 371

$78.6 RON 343

8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 RON 434

$85.5 RON 373

16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 RON 3,135

$382 RON 1,668

88.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,432

$315 RON 1,374

77.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,554

$720 RON 3,141

76.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 RON 4,144

$444 RON 1,935

114.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 RON 20.3K

$2,730 RON 11.9K

70.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,361 RON 14.7K

$2,095 RON 9,133

60.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 RON 6,171

$1,077 RON 4,697

31.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.28

-6.85%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Cluj-Napoca and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $205 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $719 in Cluj-Napoca versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 1% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Cluj-Napoca versus $445 in Craiova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Craiova is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cluj-Napoca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Craiova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.