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: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,429 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,940 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 50% more expensive than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Sfantu Gheorghe is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.6

$8.45 RON 38.36

37.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 262

$40.07 RON 182

44.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.66

$9.12 RON 41.40

-11.40%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.05

$2.01 RON 9.12

75.62%

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

$2.30 RON 10.44

$1.27 RON 5.75

81.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.68

$1.11 RON 5.03

91.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.89

$2.13 RON 9.69

53.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.24

$2.72 RON 12.35

47.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.13

$1.54 RON 7.01

16.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.22 RON 5.52

10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.59

$1.35 RON 6.14

40.00%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.80

$3.05 RON 13.83

6.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.52

$8.74 RON 39.70

17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.07

$4.11 RON 18.68

71.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.8

$12.30 RON 55.9

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.38

$0.98 RON 4.46

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.82

$1.31 RON 5.95

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.42

$1.30 RON 5.91

25.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.97

$1.98 RON 9.01

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$0.72 RON 3.29

31.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$0.87 RON 3.95

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.91

$0.79 RON 3.57

36.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.67 RON 3.05

31.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.77

$5.52 RON 25.05

18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.22

$8.46 RON 38.39

-8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.25

$1.05 RON 4.75

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.89

$1.13 RON 5.13

73.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.67 RON 3.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

$19.63 RON 89.1

15.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.95 RON 4.29

5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.67 RON 3.06

28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.82

$7.51 RON 34.11

25.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.74

$1.58 RON 7.19

7.59%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$27.9K RON 126.9K

2.00%

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

$26.7K RON 121.2K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

-4.78%

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

$156 RON 707

$168 RON 764

-7.49%

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

$9.13 RON 41.44

$8.52 RON 38.69

7.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.81

$9.63 RON 43.74

2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 203

$40.76 RON 185

9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.9

$18.87 RON 85.7

7.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.52

$3.35 RON 15.21

146.87%

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

$481 RON 2,184

$431 RON 1,958

11.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.6K

$6,922 RON 31.4K

51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

$34.47 RON 156

101.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

$18.69 RON 84.9

117.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

$27.87 RON 127

203.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

$69.8 RON 317

43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,208

$320 RON 1,451

121.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,561

$230 RON 1,042

145.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,726

$565 RON 2,566

123.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,224

$440 RON 1,999

111.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,926 RON 8,744

150.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$1,397 RON 6,340

149.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,216

$724 RON 3,287

89.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.75

-13.33%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $320 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: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $40.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $196 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 89% 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 $320 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 15% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Cluj-Napoca versus $431 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,374 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 50% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.