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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,069 in Sibiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,648 in Sibiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,227 in Sibiu.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 27% more expensive than in Sibiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Sibiu is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 RON 51.7

$9.00 RON 40.94

26.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 RON 262

$46.97 RON 214

22.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.09

$6.99 RON 31.77

13.59%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.06

$3.12 RON 14.17

13.14%

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

$2.37 RON 10.79

$1.97 RON 8.95

20.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.65

$1.77 RON 8.04

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 RON 14.23

$2.81 RON 12.79

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.27

$3.49 RON 15.89

15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.50 RON 6.84

18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.94

$1.21 RON 5.50

8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.25

$1.60 RON 7.28

13.12%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.17

$3.26 RON 14.81

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 RON 44.70

$7.85 RON 35.71

25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 33.06

$5.99 RON 27.25

21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 54.5

$9.03 RON 41.05

32.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.59

$1.21 RON 5.48

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.05

$1.59 RON 7.23

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.65 RON 7.48

-5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 RON 10.74

$2.22 RON 10.08

6.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$0.75 RON 3.42

25.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$0.86 RON 3.93

12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$1.03 RON 4.68

5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$0.86 RON 3.91

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 29.27

$6.04 RON 27.46

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.27

$7.95 RON 36.14

-5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.31

$0.99 RON 4.52

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.91

$1.77 RON 8.06

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.67 RON 3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.24 RON 106

$20.09 RON 91.3

15.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.95 RON 4.32

4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.88 RON 3.99

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.43

$9.10 RON 41.37

0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.66

$1.59 RON 7.22

6.29%

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

$28.4K RON 129.3K

$28.1K RON 127.9K

1.11%

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

$27.0K RON 122.9K

$26.8K RON 121.9K

0.76%

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

$158 RON 720

$138 RON 627

14.75%

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

$8.72 RON 39.66

$8.58 RON 38.99

1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.91 RON 45.08

$11.54 RON 52.5

-14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 RON 197

$39.98 RON 182

8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 RON 91.9

$15.77 RON 71.7

28.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 35.75

$7.11 RON 32.32

10.55%

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

$492 RON 2,239

$432 RON 1,963

14.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

$6,900 RON 31.4K

52.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 318

$67.7 RON 308

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.01 RON 186

$37.66 RON 171

8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$81.9 RON 372

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 460

$93.5 RON 425

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,236

$384 RON 1,747

85.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,491

$326 RON 1,481

68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 RON 5,762

$691 RON 3,142

83.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 RON 4,275

$562 RON 2,554

67.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 RON 22.1K

$2,472 RON 11.2K

96.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 15.5K

$2,096 RON 9,529

62.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,325 RON 6,024

$1,132 RON 5,144

17.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $712 in Cluj-Napoca and $384 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 17% 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 $47.00 in Sibiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $203 per month, with Sibiu 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 Sibiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibiu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $712 in Cluj-Napoca versus $384 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 16% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $492 in Cluj-Napoca versus $432 in Sibiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,069 in Sibiu versus $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sibiu 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 Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.