Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Ramnicu Sarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Ramnicu Sarat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,147 in Ramnicu Sarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,781 in Ramnicu Sarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,414 in Ramnicu Sarat.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 20% more expensive than Ramnicu Sarat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Ramnicu Sarat is 15% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 RON 52.4
$14.05 RON 63.6
-17.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.8 RON 261
$68.3 RON 309
-15.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.08 RON 36.53
$8.20 RON 37.08
-1.46%
Cappuccino
$3.53 RON 15.99
$3.31 RON 14.96
6.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 RON 10.40
$1.93 RON 8.73
19.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 RON 9.65
$1.35 RON 6.09
57.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 RON 14.84
$2.33 RON 10.54
40.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 RON 18.18
$3.25 RON 14.72
23.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 RON 8.11
$1.72 RON 7.78
4.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.35 RON 6.10
$1.28 RON 5.79
5.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.89 RON 8.56
$1.92 RON 8.68
-1.56%
Eggs
$3.26 RON 14.75
$3.20 RON 14.50
1.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.25 RON 46.36
$9.54 RON 43.17
7.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.06 RON 31.96
$6.65 RON 30.10
6.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.06 RON 54.6
$11.41 RON 51.6
5.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.18 RON 5.36
$1.43 RON 6.46
-17.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 RON 7.80
$1.72 RON 7.80
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 RON 7.39
$1.73 RON 7.84
-5.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 RON 10.93
$2.44 RON 11.02
-0.82%
Potato (1kg)
$0.95 RON 4.30
$1.01 RON 4.56
-5.94%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 RON 4.23
$1.11 RON 5.01
-16.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 RON 4.89
$1.03 RON 4.64
4.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 RON 3.99
$0.85 RON 3.85
3.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 RON 29.67
$6.48 RON 29.31
1.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.76 RON 35.09
$6.69 RON 30.25
15.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 RON 5.23
$1.14 RON 5.14
1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 RON 8.86
$1.85 RON 8.38
5.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 RON 3.02
$0.67 RON 3.04
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.65 RON 102
$20.13 RON 91.1
12.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 RON 4.51
$0.95 RON 4.30
5.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 RON 3.90
$0.74 RON 3.36
16.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.43 RON 42.67
$7.90 RON 35.72
19.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 RON 7.71
$1.62 RON 7.34
4.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K RON 128.9K
$28.5K RON 128.7K
0.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K RON 120.8K
$27.2K RON 123.1K
-1.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 RON 704
$189 RON 857
-17.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.13 RON 41.29
$7.92 RON 35.84
15.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.87 RON 44.65
$9.02 RON 40.79
9.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.65 RON 202
$41.74 RON 189
6.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.25 RON 91.6
$19.29 RON 87.3
4.98%
Cinema Ticket
$8.27 RON 37.39
$8.11 RON 36.70
1.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$481 RON 2,176
$557 RON 2,519
-13.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K RON 47.5K
$8,328 RON 37.7K
26.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.5 RON 314
$69.5 RON 314
0.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.69 RON 184
$64.6 RON 292
-37.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 RON 382
$75.9 RON 343
11.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.9 RON 452
$81.7 RON 369
22.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$707 RON 3,196
$387 RON 1,751
82.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$564 RON 2,552
$288 RON 1,304
95.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,261 RON 5,706
$586 RON 2,650
115.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$930 RON 4,209
$443 RON 2,005
109.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,832 RON 21.9K
$1,937 RON 8,764
149.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,491 RON 15.8K
$1,387 RON 6,272
151.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cluj-Napoca
Ramnicu Sarat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,369 RON 6,194
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
6.78
-13.72%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $387 in Ramnicu Sarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $68.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $226, with Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ramnicu Sarat cheaper than Cluj-Napoca?
Ramnicu Sarat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,061 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,721 in Ramnicu Sarat 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.
What is the rent difference between Cluj-Napoca and Ramnicu Sarat?
Rent for a central apartment: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $387 in Ramnicu Sarat. 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 Ramnicu Sarat runs roughly 13% 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 $481 in Cluj-Napoca versus $557 in Ramnicu Sarat. 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 Ramnicu Sarat?
At $1,147 in Ramnicu Sarat versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ramnicu Sarat but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Ramnicu Sarat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cluj-Napoca or Ramnicu Sarat more family-friendly?
For families, Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat?
Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Cluj-Napoca vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities