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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,115 in Onesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,690 in Onesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,265 in Onesti.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$11.27 RON 51.6

14.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$43.42 RON 199

29.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.98

$7.53 RON 34.51

27.49%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.81

$2.96 RON 13.56

31.42%

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

$2.51 RON 11.52

$2.22 RON 10.18

13.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$1.83 RON 8.38

34.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.19

$3.37 RON 15.45

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.62

$4.05 RON 18.56

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.10 RON 5.04

53.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$1.37 RON 6.28

11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$2.05 RON 9.41

-6.83%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.74

$3.25 RON 14.91

19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.19

$7.71 RON 35.31

28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.56

$6.49 RON 29.74

16.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$10.17 RON 46.59

17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.93

$1.09 RON 4.98

38.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.56 RON 7.16

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.81 RON 8.30

6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.11

$2.21 RON 10.12

19.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.94 RON 4.32

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.97 RON 4.45

3.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$1.23 RON 5.64

-18.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.65 RON 2.96

55.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.78

$6.75 RON 30.92

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.89

$5.44 RON 24.92

40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.37 RON 6.27

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$2.15 RON 9.86

-17.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.79 RON 3.60

1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$23.04 RON 106

37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$0.86 RON 3.95

11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.92 RON 4.23

9.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.32

$8.64 RON 39.56

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.56 RON 7.15

22.44%

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

$30.0K RON 137.3K

$29.7K RON 136.1K

0.89%

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

$26.3K RON 120.5K

$29.3K RON 134.1K

-10.17%

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

$164 RON 753

$190 RON 868

-13.24%

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

$9.04 RON 41.43

$7.78 RON 35.64

16.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.28

$9.08 RON 41.59

13.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$40.46 RON 185

19.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$21.43 RON 98.2

9.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.15

$9.12 RON 41.80

8.11%

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

$618 RON 2,833

$411 RON 1,882

50.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$7,467 RON 34.2K

37.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$39.66 RON 182

134.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$40.29 RON 185

18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 472

$96.8 RON 444

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$94.5 RON 433

18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,962

$403 RON 1,845

60.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,483

$299 RON 1,368

81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,407

$624 RON 2,857

89.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,882

$477 RON 2,185

77.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$1,914 RON 8,767

151.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,400 RON 6,413

150.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

$663 RON 3,039

101.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.18

-5.29%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Cluj-Napoca pays 101% 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 $43.00 in Onesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $205 per month, with Onesti 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Onesti 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 101% 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 Onesti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Onesti runs roughly 38% 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 $411 in Onesti. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,115 in Onesti versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Onesti but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Onesti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Onesti 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 Onesti 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 Onesti 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.