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: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,542 in Lodz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,256 in Lodz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,969 in Lodz.

Living in Cluj-Napoca costs roughly 3% less than in Lodz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cluj-Napoca 8% above, Lodz 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 60.8

$10.27 zł 38.06

31.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 258

$49.92 zł 185

14.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.45

$9.69 zł 35.90

3.92%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$3.75 zł 13.91

4.53%

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

$2.47 RON 11.17

$2.77 zł 10.26

-10.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.13

$2.86 zł 10.60

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$4.94 zł 18.32

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.14

$5.31 zł 19.68

-16.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.07 zł 3.97

62.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.18 zł 4.38

34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.47 zł 5.45

26.53%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.62

$3.64 zł 13.47

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.73

$11.04 zł 40.90

-12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.14

$7.25 zł 26.85

7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.7

$12.37 zł 45.84

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.71

$1.26 zł 4.66

18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.09

$1.70 zł 6.29

5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.87

$2.52 zł 9.34

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.61

$3.06 zł 11.35

-16.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.84 zł 3.12

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.93 zł 3.45

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$1.42 zł 5.26

-27.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.62 zł 2.32

66.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.50

$5.90 zł 21.85

14.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.05

$7.14 zł 26.47

5.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.17 zł 4.33

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.39

$1.87 zł 6.94

-0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$1.16 zł 4.30

-31.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

$54.0 zł 200

-40.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$1.68 zł 6.24

-45.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$0.61 zł 2.25

60.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.17

$9.45 zł 35.02

-3.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.60

$1.57 zł 5.83

21.66%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$31.8K zł 117.7K

-7.74%

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

$27.9K zł 103.3K

-6.22%

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

$165 RON 743

$327 zł 1,213

-49.73%

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

$8.94 RON 40.35

$9.03 zł 33.46

-1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 45.88

$18.04 zł 66.9

-43.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$38.77 zł 144

28.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

$18.68 zł 69.2

25.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.84

$8.20 zł 30.39

21.10%

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

$624 RON 2,818

$532 zł 1,970

17.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

$11.1K zł 41.1K

-9.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

$78.7 zł 292

19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

$41.75 zł 155

18.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

$93.3 zł 346

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

$103 zł 381

13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,055

$633 zł 2,347

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,516

$494 zł 1,829

12.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,396

$1,127 zł 4,178

6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,812

$875 zł 3,244

-3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$3,356 zł 12.4K

44.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.0K

$2,502 zł 9,271

41.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,051

$1,695 zł 6,279

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.87

-1.02%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lodz: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $633 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lodz pays 26% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $50.0 in Lodz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $233 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $633 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 67% less than in Lodz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Cluj-Napoca versus $532 in Lodz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,542 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 4% less than in Lodz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.