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: $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,037 in Mamaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,555 in Mamaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,073 in Mamaia.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mamaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Mamaia is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 52.0

$10.05 RON 45.90

13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 263

$45.29 RON 207

27.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.25

$7.63 RON 34.83

4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.13

$2.56 RON 11.71

37.89%

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

$2.37 RON 10.84

$1.91 RON 8.74

24.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.70

$1.74 RON 7.93

21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.29

$2.29 RON 10.45

36.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.35

$2.83 RON 12.90

42.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.52 RON 6.93

16.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.97

$1.26 RON 5.76

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.29

$1.62 RON 7.42

11.73%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.24

$3.30 RON 15.09

1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.90

$8.46 RON 38.62

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.21

$6.81 RON 31.10

6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.8

$9.96 RON 45.49

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.62

$1.19 RON 5.44

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.54 RON 7.02

14.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.12

$1.56 RON 7.13

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.79

$2.20 RON 10.06

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.88 RON 4.01

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.43

$0.93 RON 4.26

4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.90 RON 4.11

21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$0.83 RON 3.81

10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.40

$5.98 RON 27.29

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.42

$6.15 RON 28.08

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.33

$1.01 RON 4.62

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.95

$1.62 RON 7.38

20.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.71 RON 3.25

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$19.81 RON 90.5

17.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.51

$0.72 RON 3.29

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.75

$0.72 RON 3.28

13.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.61

$6.83 RON 31.18

33.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$1.54 RON 7.02

9.74%

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

$28.4K RON 129.9K

-0.03%

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

$27.0K RON 123.4K

0.01%

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

$158 RON 723

$145 RON 662

9.23%

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

$8.72 RON 39.83

$7.94 RON 36.27

9.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.28

$9.23 RON 42.15

7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 198

$41.76 RON 191

3.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 92.3

$19.30 RON 88.1

4.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.91

$6.74 RON 30.79

16.62%

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

$492 RON 2,249

$432 RON 1,974

13.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.9K

$6,919 RON 31.6K

51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 320

$69.0 RON 315

1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 187

$40.32 RON 184

1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 385

$75.2 RON 344

11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$95.1 RON 434

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,250

$386 RON 1,761

84.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,502

$286 RON 1,308

91.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,788

$576 RON 2,631

119.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,294

$430 RON 1,962

118.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.2K

$1,920 RON 8,767

152.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

$1,473 RON 6,725

131.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,050

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $712 in Cluj-Napoca and $386 in Mamaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $45.00 in Mamaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $208 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,041 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,555 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: $712 in Cluj-Napoca versus $386 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 17% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $492 in Cluj-Napoca versus $432 in Mamaia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,037 in Mamaia versus $1,361 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 31% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.