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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,031 in Mangalia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,560 in Mangalia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,823 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,088 in Mangalia.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 37% more expensive than Mangalia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 6% above, Mangalia is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 RON 52.1

$9.76 RON 43.97

18.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 260

$42.24 RON 190

36.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 35.82

$7.97 RON 35.90

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.55

$2.60 RON 11.72

32.69%

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

$2.39 RON 10.77

$1.99 RON 8.97

20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RON 9.70

$1.91 RON 8.60

12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.74

$2.35 RON 10.58

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RON 17.66

$3.48 RON 15.69

12.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.76

$1.42 RON 6.38

21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 5.99

$1.09 RON 4.89

22.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.14

$1.70 RON 7.64

6.47%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.53

$3.25 RON 14.63

-0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 RON 44.67

$8.68 RON 39.11

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.23

$6.96 RON 31.34

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.73 RON 52.8

$9.08 RON 40.90

29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.37

$1.21 RON 5.47

-1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.99

$1.47 RON 6.62

20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.32 RON 5.95

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.81

$1.87 RON 8.43

28.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.81 RON 3.67

24.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.44

$0.89 RON 3.99

11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.88

$0.74 RON 3.34

45.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.17

$0.81 RON 3.65

14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.37

$5.65 RON 25.45

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 RON 34.88

$7.13 RON 32.11

8.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$0.89 RON 4.03

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.15

$1.37 RON 6.16

48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.67 RON 3.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.89 RON 103

$19.45 RON 87.6

17.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.24

$0.72 RON 3.23

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.65

$0.64 RON 2.89

26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.22 RON 41.53

$5.86 RON 26.37

57.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.71

$1.54 RON 6.92

11.04%

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

$28.2K RON 127.2K

$24.6K RON 110.9K

14.67%

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

$26.2K RON 118.1K

$26.7K RON 120.3K

-1.87%

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

$158 RON 710

$145 RON 653

8.77%

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

$9.08 RON 40.89

$6.56 RON 29.52

38.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 RON 45.59

$10.04 RON 45.19

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 197

$40.67 RON 183

7.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 91.3

$19.48 RON 87.7

4.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 RON 35.46

$6.72 RON 30.27

17.11%

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

$491 RON 2,212

$424 RON 1,910

15.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K RON 48.0K

$7,030 RON 31.7K

51.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 RON 312

$81.6 RON 368

-15.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 RON 179

$41.77 RON 188

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 383

$73.2 RON 329

16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 RON 445

$98.8 RON 445

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,184

$385 RON 1,734

83.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 RON 2,495

$285 RON 1,283

94.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,737

$588 RON 2,648

116.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,179

$432 RON 1,947

114.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,811 RON 21.7K

$2,146 RON 9,667

124.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,473 RON 15.6K

$1,499 RON 6,752

131.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,352 RON 6,090

$781 RON 3,518

73.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.62

-11.63%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $385 in Mangalia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 73% 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 $42.00 in Mangalia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $201 per month, with Mangalia 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 Mangalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mangalia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 73% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $385 in Mangalia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mangalia runs roughly 18% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $424 in Mangalia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Mangalia versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mangalia but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Mangalia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mangalia 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 Mangalia 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 Mangalia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.