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: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $918 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,536 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,155 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 64% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$8.98 RON 41.13

44.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$43.79 RON 201

28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.98

$7.86 RON 36.01

22.14%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.81

$3.43 RON 15.73

13.41%

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

$2.51 RON 11.52

$2.24 RON 10.24

12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$1.93 RON 8.85

27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.19

$3.39 RON 15.54

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.62

$4.04 RON 18.52

11.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.47 RON 6.73

14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$1.20 RON 5.48

27.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.45 RON 6.66

31.72%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.74

$3.55 RON 16.26

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.19

$8.05 RON 36.86

22.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.56

$6.42 RON 29.43

17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$8.42 RON 38.59

41.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.93

$1.23 RON 5.63

22.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.57 RON 7.21

12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.56 RON 7.17

23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.11

$2.76 RON 12.65

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.74 RON 3.40

27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.65 RON 2.97

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$1.03 RON 4.72

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.92 RON 4.22

9.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.78

$6.14 RON 28.13

5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.89

$7.63 RON 34.97

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$0.98 RON 4.50

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.46 RON 6.68

21.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.80 RON 3.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$22.85 RON 105

39.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$1.02 RON 4.68

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.86 RON 3.96

17.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.32

$8.68 RON 39.77

1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.85 RON 8.46

3.24%

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

$30.0K RON 137.3K

$29.6K RON 135.4K

1.38%

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

$26.3K RON 120.5K

$26.0K RON 118.9K

1.31%

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

$164 RON 753

$123 RON 563

33.79%

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

$9.04 RON 41.43

$9.54 RON 43.69

-5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.28

$12.80 RON 58.6

-19.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$40.00 RON 183

21.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$21.18 RON 97.0

11.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.15

$7.17 RON 32.83

37.52%

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

$618 RON 2,833

$462 RON 2,119

33.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$6,941 RON 31.8K

47.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$77.5 RON 355

19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$33.15 RON 152

43.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 472

$89.8 RON 412

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$92.4 RON 423

21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,962

$402 RON 1,843

60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,483

$179 RON 818

203.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,407

$640 RON 2,930

84.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,882

$472 RON 2,161

79.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$1,920 RON 8,798

151.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,385 RON 6,347

153.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

$971 RON 4,449

37.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.02

-3.13%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $402 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 37% 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 $44.00 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $206 per month, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $402 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 39% 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 $462 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $918 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,501 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 64% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.