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: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 23% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Craiova is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.4

$7.47 RON 34.28

73.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 258

$37.52 RON 172

49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 44.05

$7.73 RON 35.45

24.19%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.84

$2.87 RON 13.18

35.54%

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

$2.51 RON 11.54

$2.31 RON 10.59

8.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.32

$1.90 RON 8.73

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.21

$2.45 RON 11.26

35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.65

$3.61 RON 16.58

24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.32 RON 6.06

28.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.01

$0.92 RON 4.22

66.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.76

$1.50 RON 6.86

27.33%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.77

$3.44 RON 15.77

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.26

$7.54 RON 34.60

30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.62

$6.70 RON 30.73

12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.8

$11.65 RON 53.5

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.95

$1.04 RON 4.79

45.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.14

$1.52 RON 6.99

16.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.85

$1.52 RON 6.99

26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.13

$1.90 RON 8.71

38.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$0.86 RON 3.92

9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.94 RON 4.32

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$0.77 RON 3.51

29.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.74 RON 3.38

36.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.83

$6.70 RON 30.75

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.94

$6.74 RON 30.90

13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.18 RON 5.44

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.60 RON 7.36

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.89 RON 4.08

-10.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$26.08 RON 120

21.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.41

$0.63 RON 2.88

52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.66

$0.64 RON 2.91

57.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.39

$6.62 RON 30.37

32.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.88 RON 8.61

1.60%

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

$30.0K RON 137.5K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

1.14%

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

$26.3K RON 120.7K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-3.56%

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

$164 RON 755

$206 RON 947

-20.29%

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

$9.04 RON 41.50

$10.52 RON 48.28

-14.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.36

$11.68 RON 53.6

-11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$41.43 RON 190

16.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$22.75 RON 104

3.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.22

$7.91 RON 36.28

24.65%

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

$618 RON 2,838

$441 RON 2,025

40.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

18.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 427

$58.8 RON 270

58.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$49.69 RON 228

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 473

$82.6 RON 379

24.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 516

$108 RON 497

3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,967

$536 RON 2,460

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,486

$401 RON 1,840

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,416

$921 RON 4,225

28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,888

$618 RON 2,836

37.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

74.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$2,050 RON 9,407

71.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,118

$981 RON 4,500

35.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.84

-0.58%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 36% 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: $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $38.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $202 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 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: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $536 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 22% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $618 in Cluj-Napoca versus $441 in Craiova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,501 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 23% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.