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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,222 in Pecs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,821 in Pecs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,419 in Pecs.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 13% more expensive than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Pecs is 9% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.53 RON 52.1
$8.71 Ft 2,656
32.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 RON 263
$42.47 Ft 13.0K
36.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.21 RON 37.10
$8.74 Ft 2,665
-6.06%
Cappuccino
$3.37 RON 15.25
$2.19 Ft 667
53.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 RON 10.93
$1.11 Ft 338
118.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 RON 9.90
$0.93 Ft 284
135.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 RON 14.70
$1.60 Ft 488
103.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 RON 17.61
$2.13 Ft 650
83.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 RON 7.85
$1.11 Ft 339
56.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.33 RON 6.03
$1.55 Ft 472
-14.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 RON 8.31
$1.84 Ft 562
-
Eggs
$3.24 RON 14.64
$2.50 Ft 761
29.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.15 RON 45.88
$9.42 Ft 2,873
7.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 RON 31.15
$5.87 Ft 1,791
17.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.08 RON 54.6
$14.53 Ft 4,432
-16.86%
Apples (1kg)
$1.23 RON 5.57
$2.02 Ft 617
-39.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 RON 7.81
$2.03 Ft 619
-14.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 RON 7.02
$2.19 Ft 668
-29.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 RON 10.51
$3.60 Ft 1,097
-35.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 RON 4.60
$1.26 Ft 384
-19.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 RON 4.38
$1.24 Ft 379
-21.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 RON 4.70
$1.75 Ft 533
-40.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 RON 3.98
$0.54 Ft 165
62.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.53 RON 29.52
$7.30 Ft 2,227
-10.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.94 RON 35.87
$4.80 Ft 1,464
65.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 RON 5.10
$1.21 Ft 368
-6.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 RON 9.26
$2.04 Ft 622
0.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 RON 3.18
$1.46 Ft 444
-52.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.33 RON 105
$24.15 Ft 7,364
-3.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 RON 4.52
$3.15 Ft 961
-68.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 RON 4.02
$1.11 Ft 338
-19.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.45 RON 42.70
$22.89 Ft 6,980
-58.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 RON 7.63
$1.78 Ft 543
-5.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K RON 128.6K
$27.3K Ft 8.3M
4.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K RON 122.3K
$31.7K Ft 9.7M
-14.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 RON 730
$162 Ft 49.6K
-0.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.19 RON 41.52
$27.04 Ft 8,247
-66.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.66 RON 43.65
$19.57 Ft 5,967
-50.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.75 RON 202
$45.01 Ft 13.7K
-0.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.86 RON 89.8
$22.00 Ft 6,708
-9.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.25 RON 37.30
$8.12 Ft 2,477
1.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 RON 2,220
$402 Ft 122.6K
22.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K RON 49.0K
$7,225 Ft 2.2M
49.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.9 RON 320
$90.6 Ft 27.6K
-21.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.43 RON 178
$44.59 Ft 13.6K
-11.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.2 RON 380
$94.5 Ft 28.8K
-10.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.5 RON 450
$102 Ft 31.0K
-2.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$692 RON 3,129
$497 Ft 151.4K
39.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$550 RON 2,485
$370 Ft 112.9K
48.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,244 RON 5,625
$675 Ft 206.0K
84.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$923 RON 4,174
$556 Ft 169.4K
66.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,494 RON 20.3K
$3,528 Ft 1.1M
27.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,328 RON 15.0K
$3,005 Ft 916.5K
10.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cluj-Napoca
Pecs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,378 RON 6,231
$1,140 Ft 347.8K
20.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
8
-26.88%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pecs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $497 in Pecs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 21% 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 Pecs. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $234, with Cluj-Napoca cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pecs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pecs cheaper than Cluj-Napoca?
Pecs is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cluj-Napoca or Pecs?
Cluj-Napoca pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cluj-Napoca and Pecs?
Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $497 in Pecs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Pecs runs roughly 4% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $402 in Pecs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cluj-Napoca or Pecs?
At $1,222 in Pecs versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pecs but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Pecs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cluj-Napoca or Pecs more family-friendly?
For families, Pecs 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.
Which city is safer, Cluj-Napoca or Pecs?
Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Pecs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Pecs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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