Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Galati

For one person, living is cheaper in Galati: $1,190 a month against $1,423 in Cluj-Napoca, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Cluj-Napoca
Learn more

Cluj-Napoca Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Galati
Learn more

Galati Living Index

Jump to prices

Cluj-Napoca

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,423

/mo nomad

Galati

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cluj-Napoca and in Galati

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cluj-Napoca and in Galati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,423 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,190 in Galati.

Cluj-Napoca $1,423
Galati $1,190

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,683 in Galati.

Cluj-Napoca $2,126
Galati $1,683

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,830 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,176 in Galati.

Cluj-Napoca $2,830
Galati $2,176

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 20% more expensive than in Galati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 5% above, Galati is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.58 RON 59.9

$10.62 RON 50.6

18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 RON 261

$41.85 RON 199

31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 RON 45.71

$7.37 RON 35.10

30.12%

Cappuccino

$3.78 RON 17.99

$2.52 RON 12.00

50.00%

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

$2.30 RON 10.98

$2.10 RON 10.02

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.59

$1.86 RON 8.87

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.80

$2.06 RON 9.83

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 RON 20.00

$3.18 RON 15.14

32.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.64

$1.19 RON 5.67

34.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.87

$0.70 RON 3.32

105.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 8.07

$1.77 RON 8.43

-4.52%

Eggs

$3.76 RON 17.89

$3.40 RON 16.22

10.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 RON 43.20

$7.49 RON 35.68

21.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 RON 34.01

$5.91 RON 28.15

20.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 RON 54.6

$8.54 RON 40.68

34.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.60

$1.29 RON 6.12

7.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.53

$1.61 RON 7.66

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.97

$1.51 RON 7.20

24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 11.28

$1.76 RON 8.38

34.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.39

$0.96 RON 4.56

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.28

$1.01 RON 4.79

-10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.31

$0.80 RON 3.83

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.79

$0.67 RON 3.18

50.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.42 RON 30.59

$5.84 RON 27.82

9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 RON 35.31

$5.31 RON 25.31

39.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.93

$0.95 RON 4.52

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 8.24

$1.18 RON 5.63

46.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 RON 3.61

$0.77 RON 3.65

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.23 RON 211

$26.96 RON 128

64.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 3.98

$0.60 RON 2.88

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RON 4.58

$0.70 RON 3.34

37.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 RON 39.39

$7.10 RON 33.85

16.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 RON 9.24

$1.71 RON 8.15

13.45%

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

$28.3K RON 135.0K

$28.5K RON 135.6K

-0.48%

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

$24.7K RON 117.9K

$24.7K RON 117.5K

0.30%

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

$151 RON 719

$146 RON 695

3.39%

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

$8.44 RON 40.20

$7.61 RON 36.27

10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.16 RON 43.66

$7.70 RON 36.68

18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.36 RON 226

$36.70 RON 175

29.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.01 RON 105

$34.89 RON 166

-36.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.35 RON 44.57

$6.24 RON 29.75

49.84%

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

$577 RON 2,750

$601 RON 2,865

-4.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,450 RON 45.0K

$4,839 RON 23.1K

95.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 RON 415

$97.2 RON 463

-10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.26 RON 211

$31.71 RON 151

39.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 RON 471

$60.9 RON 290

62.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 RON 509

$83.6 RON 399

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 RON 3,184

$514 RON 2,451

29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 RON 2,552

$471 RON 2,244

13.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 RON 5,844

$778 RON 3,705

57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 RON 3,847

$550 RON 2,623

46.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,568 RON 21.8K

$1,723 RON 8,210

165.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,342 RON 15.9K

$1,324 RON 6,309

152.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,241 RON 5,911

$911 RON 4,341

36.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

7.2

-7.64%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: October 25, 2026

Last update for Galati: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cluj-Napoca

$536 37.7%

Galati

$471 39.6% 12.1% $65

Groceries & Markets

Cluj-Napoca

$230 16.2%

Galati

$182 15.3% 20.9% $48

Eating Out

Cluj-Napoca

$218 15.3%

Galati

$170 14.3% 22% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cluj-Napoca

$168 11.8%

Galati

$161 13.5% 4.3% $7.2

Clothing & Footwear

Cluj-Napoca

$152 10.7%

Galati

$123 10.3% 18.8% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Cluj-Napoca

$66 4.6%

Galati

$49 4.1% 25.6% $17

Getting Around

Cluj-Napoca

$53 3.7%

Galati

$34 2.9% 35.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $668 in Cluj-Napoca and $514 in Galati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 36% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55 in Cluj-Napoca vs $42 in Galati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $182 per month, with Galati cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Cluj-Napoca

🇷🇴 Galati

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

Same time as Cluj-Napoca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

324,576

249,432

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cluj-Napoca Galati 370 km

From you

Cluj-Napoca
Galati

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Galati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galati is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $668 in Cluj-Napoca versus $514 in Galati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $577 in Cluj-Napoca versus $601 in Galati. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Galati gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Galati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Galati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.