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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $965 in Roman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,492 in Roman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,823 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,019 in Roman.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 46% more expensive than Roman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 6% above, Roman is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 RON 52.2

$12.41 RON 56.1

-6.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 261

$27.68 RON 125

108.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 35.91

$8.28 RON 37.38

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.59

$3.35 RON 15.14

2.99%

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

$2.39 RON 10.80

$1.17 RON 5.29

104.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RON 9.72

$2.02 RON 9.12

6.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.18 RON 14.34

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RON 17.70

$2.32 RON 10.49

68.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.78

$1.55 RON 7.01

10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.01

$0.90 RON 4.07

47.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.16

$1.66 RON 7.48

9.04%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.57

$3.07 RON 13.85

5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 RON 44.79

$8.46 RON 38.22

17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.31

$6.96 RON 31.43

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.73 RON 53.0

$11.31 RON 51.1

3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.38

$0.90 RON 4.04

32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.01

$1.52 RON 6.86

16.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.03

$1.48 RON 6.68

5.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.84

$2.23 RON 10.08

7.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.83 RON 3.74

21.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.45

$1.06 RON 4.81

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.94 RON 4.23

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.18

$0.79 RON 3.57

17.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.45

$5.73 RON 25.87

9.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 RON 34.97

$6.57 RON 29.68

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.24

$1.09 RON 4.94

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$1.73 RON 7.82

17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.67 RON 3.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.89 RON 103

$19.89 RON 89.8

15.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.71 RON 3.21

32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.61 RON 2.75

32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.22 RON 41.64

$6.86 RON 30.96

34.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.73

$1.64 RON 7.43

4.27%

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

$28.2K RON 127.5K

$28.4K RON 128.3K

-0.65%

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

$26.2K RON 118.4K

$27.9K RON 126.2K

-6.19%

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

$158 RON 712

$90.8 RON 410

73.57%

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

$9.08 RON 41.00

$3.54 RON 15.97

156.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 RON 45.71

$5.81 RON 26.23

74.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 197

$40.76 RON 184

7.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 RON 91.5

$18.96 RON 85.6

6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 RON 35.55

$11.03 RON 49.82

-28.65%

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

$491 RON 2,218

$323 RON 1,457

52.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K RON 48.2K

$6,600 RON 29.8K

61.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 RON 313

$66.1 RON 298

4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 RON 180

$17.14 RON 77.4

132.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 384

$96.2 RON 435

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 RON 447

$34.72 RON 157

184.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,193

$389 RON 1,758

81.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 RON 2,501

$290 RON 1,308

91.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 RON 5,753

$599 RON 2,703

112.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,190

$435 RON 1,962

113.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,811 RON 21.7K

$1,864 RON 8,419

158.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,473 RON 15.7K

$1,302 RON 5,879

166.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,352 RON 6,106

$850 RON 3,839

59.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.7

-24.03%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 15, 2026

Last update for Roman: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $389 in Roman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 59% 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 $28.00 in Roman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $208 per month, with Roman 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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roman is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 59% more on average, 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: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $389 in Roman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Roman runs roughly 15% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $323 in Roman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $965 in Roman versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Roman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Roman 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 Roman 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 Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.