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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,174 in Medias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,802 in Medias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,429 in Medias.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 28% more expensive than in Medias, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Medias is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$12.36 RON 56.6

4.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$55.0 RON 252

2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.98

$7.95 RON 36.43

20.75%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.81

$3.80 RON 17.40

2.37%

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

$2.51 RON 11.52

$2.57 RON 11.77

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$2.36 RON 10.80

4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.19

$3.26 RON 14.92

1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.62

$3.61 RON 16.52

24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.31 RON 5.99

29.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$1.52 RON 6.98

0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.79 RON 8.20

6.70%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.74

$3.60 RON 16.50

7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.19

$9.20 RON 42.14

7.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.56

$7.38 RON 33.83

2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$13.33 RON 61.1

-10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.93

$1.56 RON 7.15

-3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.58 RON 7.22

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.67 RON 7.64

15.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.11

$2.85 RON 13.04

-7.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.81 RON 3.72

16.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.89 RON 4.08

12.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.94 RON 4.29

6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.85 RON 3.91

18.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.78

$6.59 RON 30.18

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.89

$7.68 RON 35.18

-0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.27 RON 5.82

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$2.00 RON 9.14

-11.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.75 RON 3.45

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$22.39 RON 103

41.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$0.67 RON 3.08

43.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.71 RON 3.24

42.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.32

$6.95 RON 31.83

26.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.43 RON 6.55

33.57%

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

$30.0K RON 137.3K

$29.8K RON 136.3K

0.70%

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

$26.3K RON 120.5K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

-2.59%

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

$164 RON 753

$189 RON 865

-12.86%

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

$9.04 RON 41.43

$8.31 RON 38.05

8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.28

$9.69 RON 44.37

6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$39.39 RON 180

23.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$21.47 RON 98.3

9.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.15

$6.77 RON 31.00

45.64%

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

$618 RON 2,833

$464 RON 2,126

33.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$7,274 RON 33.3K

41.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$53.6 RON 246

73.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$36.85 RON 169

29.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 472

$78.0 RON 357

32.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$95.1 RON 436

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,962

$397 RON 1,817

63.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,483

$295 RON 1,352

83.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,407

$638 RON 2,921

85.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,882

$471 RON 2,158

79.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$1,908 RON 8,741

152.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,377 RON 6,309

154.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.2

-5.56%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $397 in Medias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $55.0 in Medias for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $236 per month, with Medias 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,252 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,762 in Medias 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: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $397 in Medias. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 42% 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 $464 in Medias. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,174 in Medias versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Medias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medias 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 Medias 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 Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.