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: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $947 in Roman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,553 in Roman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,158 in Roman.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 58% more expensive than in Roman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Roman is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.3

$12.12 RON 55.5

6.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 257

$35.46 RON 162

58.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.98

$7.93 RON 36.30

21.06%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.81

$2.85 RON 13.05

36.49%

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

$2.51 RON 11.52

$1.48 RON 6.78

69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.31

$1.13 RON 5.19

118.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.19

$3.30 RON 15.10

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.62

$2.38 RON 10.92

89.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.72

$1.59 RON 7.26

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$0.92 RON 4.21

66.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.75

$1.50 RON 6.87

27.33%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.74

$2.93 RON 13.42

32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.19

$9.26 RON 42.44

6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.56

$6.76 RON 30.97

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.7

$9.76 RON 44.71

22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.93

$1.09 RON 5.00

38.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.59 RON 7.26

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$1.49 RON 6.83

29.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.11

$2.26 RON 10.34

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.78 RON 3.56

20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.86 RON 3.95

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.91 RON 4.17

9.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.84 RON 3.86

20.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.78

$5.65 RON 25.90

15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.89

$6.74 RON 30.90

13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.19 RON 5.46

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.72 RON 7.90

3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.67

$0.80 RON 3.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 146

$23.11 RON 106

37.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$0.63 RON 2.88

52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$0.69 RON 3.17

46.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.32

$6.94 RON 31.79

26.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.85 RON 8.45

3.24%

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

$30.0K RON 137.3K

$30.2K RON 138.2K

-0.68%

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

$26.3K RON 120.5K

$27.5K RON 126.0K

-4.40%

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

$164 RON 753

$186 RON 851

-11.44%

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

$9.04 RON 41.43

$7.27 RON 33.30

24.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.28

$8.83 RON 40.44

16.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 222

$39.94 RON 183

21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 108

$21.48 RON 98.4

9.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.15

$9.77 RON 44.77

0.92%

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

$618 RON 2,833

$309 RON 1,416

100.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

$7,275 RON 33.3K

41.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 426

$55.5 RON 254

67.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 219

$27.21 RON 125

75.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 472

$79.4 RON 364

29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 515

$61.3 RON 281

83.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,962

$225 RON 1,032

186.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,483

$168 RON 772

221.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,407

$642 RON 2,941

83.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,882

$462 RON 2,116

83.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.1K

$1,940 RON 8,889

148.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.1K

$1,381 RON 6,327

154.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

$866 RON 3,967

53.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.2

-5.56%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Roman: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $225 in Roman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 54% 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 $35.00 in Roman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $207 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% 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 $225 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 37% 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 $309 in Roman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Roman versus $1,501 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 58% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.