Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Esch-sur-Alzette Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Esch-sur-Alzette

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,971 in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $4,535 in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $6,099 in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Living in Cluj-Napoca costs roughly 49% less than in Esch-sur-Alzette, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cluj-Napoca 10% above, Esch-sur-Alzette 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.4

$23.45 €20.44

-44.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 258

$58.9 €51.3

-4.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 44.05

$15.70 €13.68

-38.85%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.84

$4.86 €4.24

-19.96%

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

$2.51 RON 11.54

$2.46 €2.14

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.32

$2.65 €2.31

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.21

$4.25 €3.71

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.65

$3.84 €3.35

17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.91 €1.66

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.01

$3.81 €3.32

-59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.76

$3.44 €3.00

-44.48%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.77

$4.58 €4.00

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.26

$31.60 €27.54

-68.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.62

$16.05 €13.99

-53.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.8

$27.02 €23.55

-55.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.95

$2.75 €2.39

-45.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.14

$2.02 €1.76

-12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.85

$2.98 €2.60

-35.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.13

$3.51 €3.06

-24.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$3.32 €2.89

-71.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$2.16 €1.88

-53.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.94 €1.69

-48.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$1.14 €0.99

-11.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.83

$7.06 €6.15

-7.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.94

$10.56 €9.21

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$3.92 €3.42

-66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$4.68 €4.08

-61.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.41

$11.57 €10.09

-91.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.66

$3.78 €3.29

-73.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.39

$45.67 €39.81

-80.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.89 €1.64

1.06%

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

$30.0K RON 137.5K

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

$26.3K RON 120.7K

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

$164 RON 755

$278 €242

-40.85%

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

$9.04 RON 41.50

$33.64 €29.33

-73.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.36

$90.8 €79.1

-88.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$42.56 €37.10

13.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.22

$16.08 €14.02

-38.68%

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

$618 RON 2,838

$1,590 €1,386

-61.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 427

$72.4 €63.1

28.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$39.85 €34.74

19.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 473

$132 €115

-21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 516

$157 €137

-28.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,967

$1,860 €1,622

-65.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,486

$1,437 €1,253

-62.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,416

$3,455 €3,012

-65.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,888

$2,924 €2,549

-71.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$7,433 €6,479

-35.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$6,221 €5,422

-43.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,118

$3,801 €3,313

-64.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

3.26

108.59%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Esch-sur-Alzette: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,860 in Esch-sur-Alzette. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Esch-sur-Alzette pays 185% 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 $59.0 in Esch-sur-Alzette for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $486 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 Esch-sur-Alzette: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cluj-Napoca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 185% lower in Esch-sur-Alzette. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,860 in Esch-sur-Alzette. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,590 in Esch-sur-Alzette. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cluj-Napoca – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $59.0 in Esch-sur-Alzette. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,971 in Esch-sur-Alzette, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cluj-Napoca but tight or insufficient in Esch-sur-Alzette. The gap between the two cities makes Cluj-Napoca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cluj-Napoca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Esch-sur-Alzette, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Esch-sur-Alzette 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 Cluj-Napoca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Esch-sur-Alzette. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.