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: $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,045 in Mamaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,599 in Mamaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,153 in Mamaia.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 32% more expensive than Mamaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Mamaia is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 RON 50.1

$9.81 RON 42.77

17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 RON 253

$46.66 RON 203

24.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 RON 35.98

$8.04 RON 35.07

2.61%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.40

$2.56 RON 11.17

37.89%

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

$2.33 RON 10.16

$1.91 RON 8.31

21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.67

$1.73 RON 7.54

28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.92

$2.29 RON 9.97

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 16.98

$2.78 RON 12.11

40.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.52 RON 6.64

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.22 RON 5.30

7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.26

$1.67 RON 7.29

13.17%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.10

$3.33 RON 14.51

-3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 RON 42.69

$8.60 RON 37.48

13.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 RON 31.19

$6.57 RON 28.64

8.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 RON 52.2

$9.75 RON 42.53

22.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.37

$1.18 RON 5.12

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.72

$1.53 RON 6.69

15.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.55 RON 6.77

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.34

$2.11 RON 9.20

12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$0.81 RON 3.54

19.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.06

$0.90 RON 3.92

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.88 RON 3.84

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.78

$0.83 RON 3.64

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 RON 28.40

$5.92 RON 25.81

9.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 33.97

$6.21 RON 27.09

25.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.08

$1.02 RON 4.46

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.53

$1.69 RON 7.37

15.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

$0.72 RON 3.14

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.34 RON 102

$19.66 RON 85.7

18.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.36

$0.76 RON 3.30

31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.57

$0.71 RON 3.11

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 RON 41.50

$6.75 RON 29.43

41.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$1.62 RON 7.07

1.23%

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

$28.3K RON 123.5K

$27.9K RON 121.5K

1.66%

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

$26.9K RON 117.1K

$27.1K RON 118.3K

-1.06%

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

$158 RON 688

$144 RON 629

9.23%

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

$8.92 RON 38.87

$7.88 RON 34.37

13.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 43.81

$8.93 RON 38.94

12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 RON 190

$41.39 RON 180

5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 88.4

$19.09 RON 83.2

6.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 34.56

$6.89 RON 30.03

15.09%

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

$490 RON 2,136

$427 RON 1,862

14.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 45.8K

$6,823 RON 29.7K

53.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 308

$67.6 RON 295

4.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 RON 177

$39.61 RON 173

2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 371

$75.4 RON 329

12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 RON 434

$94.3 RON 411

5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 RON 3,135

$383 RON 1,668

87.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,432

$287 RON 1,252

94.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,554

$598 RON 2,607

113.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 RON 4,144

$446 RON 1,943

113.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 RON 20.3K

$1,910 RON 8,329

143.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,361 RON 14.7K

$1,486 RON 6,479

126.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,415 RON 6,171

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Cluj-Napoca and $383 in Mamaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $47.00 in Mamaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $206 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,063 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,568 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: $719 in Cluj-Napoca versus $383 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 19% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Cluj-Napoca versus $427 in Mamaia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,045 in Mamaia versus $1,375 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 32% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.