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: $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,191 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 2% above, Craiova is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 51.7

$9.38 RON 42.65

21.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 262

$45.95 RON 209

25.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.09

$7.96 RON 36.18

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.06

$2.49 RON 11.31

41.77%

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

$2.37 RON 10.79

$2.10 RON 9.54

12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.65

$1.92 RON 8.75

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.23

$2.25 RON 10.21

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.27

$3.35 RON 15.23

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.56 RON 7.09

13.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.94

$1.00 RON 4.54

31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.25

$1.71 RON 7.77

5.85%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.17

$3.23 RON 14.66

3.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.70

$7.72 RON 35.11

27.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.06

$6.48 RON 29.47

12.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.5

$9.81 RON 44.59

22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.59

$1.23 RON 5.61

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.70 RON 7.73

4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.60 RON 7.27

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.74

$1.84 RON 8.36

28.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.07 RON 4.88

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$1.14 RON 5.17

-14.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$0.80 RON 3.64

36.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$0.80 RON 3.65

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.27

$5.88 RON 26.74

9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.27

$6.34 RON 28.81

18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.31

$1.30 RON 5.91

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.91

$2.25 RON 10.24

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.72 RON 3.28

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$23.02 RON 105

0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.56 RON 2.54

76.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.89 RON 4.04

-7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.43

$6.75 RON 30.69

34.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.66

$1.60 RON 7.29

5.62%

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

$28.4K RON 129.3K

$27.5K RON 124.9K

3.49%

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

$27.0K RON 122.9K

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-2.14%

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

$158 RON 720

$212 RON 964

-25.37%

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

$8.72 RON 39.66

$8.08 RON 36.73

7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.08

$11.58 RON 52.6

-14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 197

$37.03 RON 168

17.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 91.9

$18.97 RON 86.2

6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.75

$6.54 RON 29.76

20.18%

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

$492 RON 2,239

$434 RON 1,971

13.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

$8,856 RON 40.3K

18.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 318

$78.5 RON 357

-10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 186

$37.91 RON 172

8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$77.6 RON 353

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 460

$86.8 RON 394

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,236

$386 RON 1,756

84.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,491

$317 RON 1,439

73.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,762

$706 RON 3,209

79.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,275

$436 RON 1,980

115.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.1K

$2,735 RON 12.4K

77.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

$1,998 RON 9,082

70.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,024

$945 RON 4,297

40.17%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $712 in Cluj-Napoca and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 40% 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 $233 vs $204 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 40% 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: $712 in Cluj-Napoca versus $386 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 $492 in Cluj-Napoca versus $434 in Craiova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,361 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.