Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Sfantu Gheorghe Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Sfantu Gheorghe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,355 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,870 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 77% more expensive than in Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Sfantu Gheorghe is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 60.8

$8.60 RON 38.81

56.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 258

$44.65 RON 202

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.45

$7.70 RON 34.76

30.78%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$2.61 RON 11.78

50.19%

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

$2.47 RON 11.17

$1.34 RON 6.05

84.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.13

$1.08 RON 4.88

128.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$2.59 RON 11.71

29.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.14

$2.25 RON 10.14

98.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.46 RON 6.58

19.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.17 RON 5.27

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.47 RON 6.64

26.53%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.62

$3.53 RON 15.93

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.73

$8.10 RON 36.59

19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.15

$4.80 RON 21.69

62.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.7

$8.36 RON 37.76

44.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.71

$1.14 RON 5.14

30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.09

$1.63 RON 7.37

9.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.87

$1.27 RON 5.71

54.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.61

$2.69 RON 12.13

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.70 RON 3.15

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.63 RON 2.86

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$1.08 RON 4.86

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.84 RON 3.79

22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.50

$5.14 RON 23.21

31.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.05

$7.67 RON 34.63

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$0.97 RON 4.40

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.39

$1.10 RON 4.95

69.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$0.90 RON 4.07

-12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

$16.69 RON 75.4

93.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$1.02 RON 4.61

-9.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$0.92 RON 4.17

6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.17

$8.62 RON 38.92

5.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.60

$1.63 RON 7.35

17.18%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$30.1K RON 136.0K

-2.70%

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

0.28%

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

$165 RON 743

$121 RON 545

36.41%

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

$8.94 RON 40.35

$9.53 RON 43.03

-6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 45.88

$13.11 RON 59.2

-22.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$42.20 RON 191

18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

$21.66 RON 97.8

7.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.85

$3.25 RON 14.68

205.54%

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

$624 RON 2,819

$462 RON 2,085

35.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

$7,059 RON 31.9K

41.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

$27.74 RON 125

238.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

$14.43 RON 65.1

242.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

$41.29 RON 186

150.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

$66.4 RON 300

76.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,055

$304 RON 1,372

122.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,516

$224 RON 1,011

148.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,396

$549 RON 2,477

117.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,812

$408 RON 1,844

106.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$1,934 RON 8,730

151.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.0K

$1,396 RON 6,302

154.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,051

$710 RON 3,206

88.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.75

0.74%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $304 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 89% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $45.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $194 per month, with Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfantu Gheorghe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $304 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sfantu Gheorghe runs roughly 94% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Cluj-Napoca versus $462 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfantu Gheorghe but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sfantu Gheorghe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.