Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Drobeta-Turnu Severin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,798 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,544 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 29% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 51.7

$13.58 RON 61.8

-16.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 262

$68.0 RON 309

-15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.09

$8.26 RON 37.56

-3.87%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.06

$3.28 RON 14.89

7.62%

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

$2.37 RON 10.79

$2.33 RON 10.58

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.65

$2.30 RON 10.43

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.23

$3.48 RON 15.80

-10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.27

$4.03 RON 18.30

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.78 RON 8.09

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.94

$1.38 RON 6.27

-5.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.25

$1.89 RON 8.60

-4.23%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.17

$3.49 RON 15.85

-4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.70

$9.67 RON 43.95

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.06

$6.95 RON 31.58

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.5

$12.38 RON 56.3

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.59

$1.40 RON 6.36

-12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.79 RON 8.14

-1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.76 RON 7.98

-11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.74

$2.50 RON 11.38

-5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.00 RON 4.56

-6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$1.01 RON 4.61

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$0.94 RON 4.29

15.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$0.94 RON 4.29

-2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.27

$6.30 RON 28.64

2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.27

$8.22 RON 37.35

-8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.31

$1.22 RON 5.57

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.91

$1.95 RON 8.88

0.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$19.93 RON 90.6

16.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.67 RON 3.04

47.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.66 RON 2.99

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.43

$6.90 RON 31.35

32.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.66

$1.70 RON 7.72

-0.59%

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

$28.4K RON 129.3K

$29.0K RON 131.8K

-1.89%

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

$27.0K RON 122.9K

$30.5K RON 138.9K

-11.52%

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

$158 RON 720

$181 RON 822

-12.41%

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

$8.72 RON 39.66

$8.76 RON 39.82

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.08

$11.48 RON 52.2

-13.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 197

$41.21 RON 187

5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 91.9

$18.90 RON 85.9

6.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.75

$9.32 RON 42.36

-15.67%

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

$492 RON 2,239

$659 RON 2,998

-25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

$14.3K RON 65.1K

-26.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 318

$79.3 RON 360

-11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 186

$45.38 RON 206

-9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$89.4 RON 407

-5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 460

$110 RON 499

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,236

$395 RON 1,794

80.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,491

$186 RON 846

194.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,762

$599 RON 2,722

111.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,275

$440 RON 2,002

113.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.1K

$1,980 RON 9,003

145.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

$1,343 RON 6,107

153.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,024

$937 RON 4,260

41.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.1

-17.61%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $712 in Cluj-Napoca and $395 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 41% 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 $68.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $238 per month, with Cluj-Napoca 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drobeta-Turnu Severin is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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 $395 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Drobeta-Turnu Severin runs roughly 17% 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 $659 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drobeta-Turnu Severin but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Drobeta-Turnu Severin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.