Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Piatra Neamt Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Piatra Neamt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $805 in Piatra Neamt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,241 in Piatra Neamt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,677 in Piatra Neamt.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 87% more expensive than in Piatra Neamt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Piatra Neamt is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$8.53 RON 39.11

51.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$33.73 RON 155

66.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 44.02

$7.54 RON 34.57

27.32%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.82

$2.38 RON 10.91

63.45%

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

$2.51 RON 11.53

$1.57 RON 7.18

59.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$1.24 RON 5.67

99.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.20

$1.99 RON 9.14

66.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.63

$2.36 RON 10.80

90.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.41 RON 6.47

19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$0.94 RON 4.32

62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.47 RON 6.72

29.93%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.75

$3.02 RON 13.84

28.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.23

$8.19 RON 37.56

20.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.59

$6.14 RON 28.15

22.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$10.22 RON 46.86

16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.94

$1.00 RON 4.57

51.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.37 RON 6.28

29.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.31 RON 6.00

47.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.12

$1.96 RON 8.98

34.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$0.57 RON 2.62

64.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.53 RON 2.42

88.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.87 RON 3.97

14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.76 RON 3.51

32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.80

$5.91 RON 27.12

9.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.91

$5.09 RON 23.33

49.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$0.94 RON 4.31

41.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.19 RON 5.47

49.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.69 RON 3.17

15.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$0.89 RON 4.09

7.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.85 RON 3.91

18.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.35

$7.68 RON 35.21

14.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.68 RON 7.72

13.69%

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

$30.0K RON 137.4K

$29.2K RON 133.7K

2.79%

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

$26.3K RON 120.6K

$26.9K RON 123.2K

-2.12%

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

$164 RON 754

$104 RON 477

57.90%

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

$9.04 RON 41.47

$7.59 RON 34.80

19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.32

$5.90 RON 27.04

74.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$33.44 RON 153

44.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$9.04 RON 41.43

160.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.18

$5.88 RON 26.95

67.69%

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

$618 RON 2,835

$1,375 RON 6,303

-55.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$54.2 RON 248

71.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$30.75 RON 141

55.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 473

$77.8 RON 356

32.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$82.0 RON 376

37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,964

$302 RON 1,387

113.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,484

$199 RON 913

172.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,411

$436 RON 2,000

170.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,885

$276 RON 1,266

206.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$2,465 RON 11.3K

95.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,962 RON 8,993

78.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,113

$1,368 RON 6,272

-2.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.63

2.56%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Piatra Neamt: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $302 in Piatra Neamt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piatra Neamt pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $34.00 in Piatra Neamt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $188 per month, with Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piatra Neamt is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Piatra Neamt. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $302 in Piatra Neamt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,375 in Piatra Neamt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Piatra Neamt – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $805 in Piatra Neamt versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piatra Neamt but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Piatra Neamt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.