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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,020 in Mamaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,568 in Mamaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,115 in Mamaia.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 46% more expensive than in Mamaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Mamaia is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 61.1

$9.74 RON 44.14

38.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 259

$45.93 RON 208

24.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.61

$7.99 RON 36.22

26.03%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.75

$2.61 RON 11.84

50.19%

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

$2.47 RON 11.21

$1.99 RON 9.01

24.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.17

$1.78 RON 8.05

38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.24

$2.33 RON 10.54

44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.21

$2.72 RON 12.34

63.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.48 RON 6.70

17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.22 RON 5.51

30.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$1.62 RON 7.32

14.81%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.68

$3.23 RON 14.63

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.89

$8.38 RON 37.98

15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.27

$6.53 RON 29.58

19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.9

$9.79 RON 44.34

23.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$1.18 RON 5.33

26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.12

$1.52 RON 6.88

17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.90

$1.62 RON 7.34

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.66

$2.19 RON 9.91

17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.85 RON 3.85

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$0.95 RON 4.31

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$0.94 RON 4.26

9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.78 RON 3.52

32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.61

$5.89 RON 26.68

14.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.17

$6.30 RON 28.56

19.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.06 RON 4.81

21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.42

$1.65 RON 7.48

12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.72 RON 3.27

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 147

$19.53 RON 88.5

65.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.71 RON 3.23

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.72 RON 3.25

36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.31

$7.05 RON 31.95

29.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$1.55 RON 7.02

23.23%

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

$29.3K RON 132.8K

$28.1K RON 127.5K

4.21%

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

$26.1K RON 118.4K

$27.2K RON 123.4K

-4.00%

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

$165 RON 746

$144 RON 652

14.40%

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

$8.94 RON 40.50

$8.22 RON 37.26

8.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 46.05

$9.01 RON 40.81

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 227

$40.89 RON 185

22.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 106

$18.99 RON 86.1

22.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 45.00

$6.92 RON 31.36

43.50%

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

$624 RON 2,829

$424 RON 1,923

47.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.4K

$7,060 RON 32.0K

41.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 425

$69.3 RON 314

35.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 224

$40.71 RON 184

21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 468

$76.2 RON 345

35.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 531

$95.1 RON 431

23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,066

$394 RON 1,783

71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,525

$295 RON 1,337

88.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,415

$591 RON 2,679

102.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,826

$439 RON 1,988

92.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$1,864 RON 8,444

161.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.1K

$1,512 RON 6,850

134.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,073

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.5

4.62%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $394 in Mamaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $46.00 in Mamaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $205 per month, with Mamaia 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 Mamaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mamaia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,232 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,531 in Mamaia 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $394 in Mamaia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mamaia runs roughly 66% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Cluj-Napoca versus $424 in Mamaia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,020 in Mamaia versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mamaia but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Mamaia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mamaia 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.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Mamaia 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 Mamaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.