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: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,111 in Mangalia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,710 in Mangalia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,309 in Mangalia.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 35% more expensive than in Mangalia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Mangalia is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$12.16 RON 55.7

6.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$49.26 RON 226

13.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.98

$8.07 RON 36.97

18.96%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.81

$3.15 RON 14.44

23.49%

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

$2.51 RON 11.52

$2.14 RON 9.82

17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$2.25 RON 10.30

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.19

$2.58 RON 11.81

28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.62

$3.47 RON 15.90

29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.69 RON 7.74

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$1.22 RON 5.59

25.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.63 RON 7.44

17.18%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.74

$3.26 RON 14.94

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.19

$7.89 RON 36.15

25.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.56

$6.89 RON 31.58

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$10.05 RON 46.02

18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.93

$1.36 RON 6.22

11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.80 RON 8.22

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.51 RON 6.92

27.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.11

$2.03 RON 9.31

30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.82 RON 3.74

14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.74 RON 3.37

35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.71 RON 3.26

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.84 RON 3.84

20.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.78

$6.62 RON 30.31

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.89

$6.98 RON 31.97

9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.04 RON 4.76

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.47 RON 6.73

21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.68 RON 3.12

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$22.51 RON 103

41.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$0.68 RON 3.13

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.68 RON 3.12

48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.32

$6.76 RON 30.95

30.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.88 RON 8.63

1.60%

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

$30.0K RON 137.3K

$29.0K RON 132.8K

3.35%

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

$26.3K RON 120.5K

$25.9K RON 118.6K

1.54%

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

$164 RON 753

$163 RON 747

0.87%

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

$9.04 RON 41.43

$6.54 RON 29.96

38.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.28

$9.33 RON 42.74

10.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$39.71 RON 182

22.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$22.39 RON 103

5.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.15

$8.94 RON 40.96

10.29%

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

$618 RON 2,833

$415 RON 1,903

48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$6,106 RON 28.0K

68.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$77.8 RON 356

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$45.17 RON 207

5.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 472

$94.3 RON 432

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$102 RON 466

10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,962

$403 RON 1,848

60.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,483

$330 RON 1,511

64.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,407

$672 RON 3,080

75.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,882

$406 RON 1,859

108.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$1,903 RON 8,716

153.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,535 RON 7,030

128.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

$762 RON 3,489

75.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.85

-13.38%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $403 in Mangalia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 75% 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: $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $49.00 in Mangalia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $210 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 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: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $403 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 41% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $618 in Cluj-Napoca versus $415 in Mangalia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,111 in Mangalia versus $1,501 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 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.