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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca versus $920 in Cugir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,350 in Cugir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,779 in Cugir.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 63% more expensive than in Cugir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 9% above, Cugir is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 59.9

$6.26 RON 28.25

112.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$22.06 RON 99.6

158.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.72

$7.68 RON 34.65

31.90%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.68

$1.58 RON 7.15

148.10%

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

$2.54 RON 11.46

$1.39 RON 6.25

82.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$1.24 RON 5.59

92.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.62

$1.57 RON 7.10

106.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.71

$2.28 RON 10.29

91.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.41 RON 6.38

23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.30 RON 5.87

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.59

$1.79 RON 8.08

6.15%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.03

$2.80 RON 12.64

42.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.79

$7.33 RON 33.09

32.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 34.98

$4.98 RON 22.49

55.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$10.96 RON 49.49

12.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.72 RON 7.77

-12.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.16

$1.72 RON 7.76

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.09

$1.74 RON 7.86

15.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.88

$1.44 RON 6.51

82.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.83 RON 3.77

20.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.85 RON 3.84

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$1.26 RON 5.68

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.84 RON 3.81

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.41

$5.70 RON 25.72

18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.04

$5.94 RON 26.80

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.26 RON 5.69

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.88 RON 8.50

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.77 RON 3.47

1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$23.00 RON 104

38.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.53 RON 2.41

83.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.54 RON 2.42

87.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.65

$5.63 RON 25.41

59.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.64

$1.47 RON 6.65

29.93%

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

$30.2K RON 136.3K

$28.7K RON 129.6K

5.19%

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

$26.4K RON 119.2K

$26.1K RON 117.9K

1.07%

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

$168 RON 756

$131 RON 592

27.71%

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

$8.78 RON 39.66

$8.70 RON 39.29

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 46.98

$7.39 RON 33.35

40.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$39.92 RON 180

20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$21.20 RON 95.7

12.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.82

$5.45 RON 24.59

86.24%

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

$613 RON 2,769

$165 RON 744

271.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.6K

$4,062 RON 18.3K

148.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 417

$32.79 RON 148

181.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 216

$8.65 RON 39.04

454.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$73.6 RON 332

42.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$77.2 RON 348

45.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,002

$409 RON 1,847

62.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,473

$301 RON 1,360

81.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,473

$634 RON 2,861

91.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,876

$480 RON 2,169

78.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,957 RON 8,834

143.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,408 RON 6,357

154.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,163

$545 RON 2,461

150.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.35

-7.48%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cugir: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $665 in Cluj-Napoca and $409 in Cugir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 150% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $22.00 in Cugir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $200 per month, with Cugir 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 Cugir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cugir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 150% 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: $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $409 in Cugir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cugir runs roughly 38% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $613 in Cluj-Napoca versus $165 in Cugir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $920 in Cugir versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cugir but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Cugir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cugir 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 Cugir 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 Cugir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.