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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,495 in Lodz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,201 in Lodz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,907 in Lodz.

Living in Cluj-Napoca costs roughly 6% less than in Lodz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cluj-Napoca 6% above, Lodz 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.4

$10.98 zł 41.65

3.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$48.34 zł 183

19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$8.36 zł 31.71

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.54

$3.62 zł 13.75

-6.35%

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

$2.35 RON 10.78

$1.83 zł 6.94

28.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.70 zł 6.45

24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.99

$3.32 zł 12.61

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.46

$3.98 zł 15.11

1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.03 zł 3.91

73.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.24 zł 4.72

8.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.56

$1.17 zł 4.45

58.97%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.38

$3.04 zł 11.52

10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.47

$8.75 zł 33.18

10.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.40

$6.76 zł 25.64

4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.8

$10.92 zł 41.44

9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.15 zł 4.37

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.91

$1.78 zł 6.75

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.52

$2.01 zł 7.62

-18.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.90

$2.85 zł 10.81

-16.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.91 zł 3.47

4.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.19 zł 4.52

-21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.99

$1.20 zł 4.56

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.59 zł 2.25

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.94

$5.03 zł 19.08

25.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.10

$6.93 zł 26.28

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.38

$1.21 zł 4.59

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$1.96 zł 7.43

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.18 zł 4.47

-39.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$46.31 zł 176

-49.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$2.22 zł 8.43

-57.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.51 zł 1.94

58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.86

$9.53 zł 36.15

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.47

$1.71 zł 6.49

-4.68%

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

$27.6K RON 126.7K

$33.2K zł 125.8K

-16.76%

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

$27.1K RON 124.4K

$29.0K zł 110.1K

-6.63%

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

$160 RON 734

$335 zł 1,270

-52.23%

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

$9.06 RON 41.60

$8.44 zł 32.02

7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.54

$17.08 zł 64.8

-40.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$42.89 zł 163

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.5

$26.01 zł 98.7

-23.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.41

$8.07 zł 30.63

-1.73%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$341 zł 1,293

39.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.4K

$9,485 zł 36.0K

13.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$93.4 zł 354

-25.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$30.84 zł 117

27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 397

$77.0 zł 292

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$93.1 zł 353

7.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,278

$623 zł 2,365

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,566

$482 zł 1,830

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,709

$1,131 zł 4,291

9.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,329

$889 zł 3,372

6.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$3,199 zł 12.1K

45.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$2,451 zł 9,299

38.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,032

$1,637 zł 6,212

-19.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.78

-13.72%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lodz: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $714 in Cluj-Napoca and $623 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lodz pays 25% 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 $48.00 in Lodz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $212 per month, with Lodz 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 Lodz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cluj-Napoca is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Lodz. 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: $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $623 in Lodz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cluj-Napoca runs roughly 98% less than in Lodz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $475 in Cluj-Napoca versus $341 in Lodz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,495 in Lodz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cluj-Napoca but tight or insufficient in Lodz. 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 Lodz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Lodz 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 6% less than in Lodz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.