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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,033 in Iernut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,531 in Iernut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,029 in Iernut.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 34% more expensive than Iernut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Iernut is 23% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.53 RON 52.1
$8.37 RON 37.84
37.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 RON 263
$40.27 RON 182
44.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.21 RON 37.10
$8.24 RON 37.23
-0.36%
Cappuccino
$3.37 RON 15.25
$2.30 RON 10.41
46.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 RON 10.93
$1.33 RON 5.99
81.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 RON 9.90
$1.14 RON 5.15
92.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 RON 14.70
$2.31 RON 10.45
40.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 RON 17.61
$2.81 RON 12.70
38.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 RON 7.85
$1.55 RON 7.01
12.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.33 RON 6.03
$1.22 RON 5.54
9.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 RON 8.31
$1.60 RON 7.22
15.00%
Eggs
$3.24 RON 14.64
$3.06 RON 13.84
5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.15 RON 45.88
$8.46 RON 38.25
19.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 RON 31.15
$7.01 RON 31.70
-1.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.08 RON 54.6
$12.12 RON 54.8
-0.33%
Apples (1kg)
$1.23 RON 5.57
$1.03 RON 4.65
19.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 RON 7.81
$1.31 RON 5.94
32.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 RON 7.02
$1.52 RON 6.89
1.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 RON 10.51
$1.94 RON 8.76
20.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 RON 4.60
$0.88 RON 3.97
15.91%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 RON 4.38
$0.86 RON 3.90
12.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 RON 4.70
$0.79 RON 3.56
31.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 RON 3.98
$0.80 RON 3.62
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.53 RON 29.52
$5.81 RON 26.25
12.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.94 RON 35.87
$7.87 RON 35.57
0.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 RON 5.10
$1.09 RON 4.92
3.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 RON 9.26
$1.68 RON 7.60
22.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 RON 3.18
$0.70 RON 3.17
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.33 RON 105
$19.48 RON 88.1
19.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 RON 4.52
$0.77 RON 3.48
29.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 RON 4.02
$0.75 RON 3.40
18.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.45 RON 42.70
$6.74 RON 30.47
40.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 RON 7.63
$1.61 RON 7.27
4.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K RON 128.6K
$27.6K RON 124.8K
3.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K RON 122.3K
$28.3K RON 127.9K
-4.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 RON 730
$167 RON 753
-3.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.19 RON 41.52
$8.31 RON 37.57
10.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.66 RON 43.65
$9.18 RON 41.50
5.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.75 RON 202
$42.12 RON 190
6.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.86 RON 89.8
$19.50 RON 88.1
1.85%
Cinema Ticket
$8.25 RON 37.30
$5.86 RON 26.50
40.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 RON 2,220
$449 RON 2,028
9.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K RON 49.0K
$6,609 RON 29.9K
63.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.9 RON 320
$65.9 RON 298
7.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.43 RON 178
$32.16 RON 145
22.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.2 RON 380
$73.6 RON 332
14.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.5 RON 450
$81.8 RON 370
21.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$692 RON 3,129
$384 RON 1,735
80.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$550 RON 2,485
$293 RON 1,326
87.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,244 RON 5,625
$580 RON 2,624
114.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$923 RON 4,174
$435 RON 1,965
112.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,494 RON 20.3K
$1,694 RON 7,657
165.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,328 RON 15.0K
$1,579 RON 7,138
110.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cluj-Napoca
Iernut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,378 RON 6,231
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
7.7
-24.03%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iernut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $384 in Iernut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $40.00 in Iernut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $214 per month, with Iernut 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 Iernut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iernut cheaper than Cluj-Napoca?
Iernut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,080 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,549 in Iernut to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Cluj-Napoca and Iernut?
Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $384 in Iernut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Iernut runs roughly 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $449 in Iernut. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cluj-Napoca or Iernut?
At $1,033 in Iernut versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iernut but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Iernut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cluj-Napoca or Iernut more family-friendly?
For families, Iernut 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.
Which city is safer, Cluj-Napoca or Iernut?
Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Iernut are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Iernut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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