Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Sighetu Marmatiei Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Sighetu Marmatiei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,461 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,914 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 49% more expensive than in Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 9% above, Sighetu Marmatiei is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 RON 59.9

$8.97 RON 40.50

48.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 RON 257

$22.63 RON 102

151.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 RON 45.72

$7.89 RON 35.63

28.39%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.68

$2.71 RON 12.24

44.65%

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

$2.54 RON 11.46

$2.00 RON 9.04

27.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.79

$1.83 RON 8.27

30.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.62

$2.16 RON 9.73

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 RON 19.71

$3.32 RON 14.97

31.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.56 RON 7.05

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.07 RON 4.83

46.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.59

$1.23 RON 5.56

54.47%

Eggs

$3.99 RON 18.03

$2.85 RON 12.85

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 RON 43.79

$8.72 RON 39.36

11.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 RON 34.98

$6.83 RON 30.82

13.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 RON 55.8

$9.39 RON 42.39

31.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.14 RON 5.13

32.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.16

$1.56 RON 7.06

16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.09

$1.51 RON 6.84

33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 RON 11.88

$1.49 RON 6.74

76.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.87 RON 3.95

14.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.91 RON 4.10

9.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.78 RON 3.52

25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.81 RON 3.66

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.41

$5.75 RON 25.97

17.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.04

$6.10 RON 27.54

27.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.09 RON 4.91

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.90 RON 8.58

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.82 RON 3.68

-4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.80 RON 144

$22.42 RON 101

41.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.38

$0.82 RON 3.69

18.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.74 RON 3.36

36.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 RON 40.65

$7.84 RON 35.41

14.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.64

$1.74 RON 7.86

9.77%

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

$30.2K RON 136.3K

$30.2K RON 136.2K

0.08%

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

$26.4K RON 119.2K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

1.27%

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

$168 RON 756

$145 RON 654

15.68%

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

$8.78 RON 39.66

$6.75 RON 30.48

30.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 RON 46.98

$8.10 RON 36.55

28.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.20 RON 218

$40.21 RON 182

19.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 RON 108

$21.47 RON 97.0

11.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.82

$4.35 RON 19.66

133.33%

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

$613 RON 2,769

$412 RON 1,860

48.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.6K

$9,371 RON 42.3K

7.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 RON 417

$64.5 RON 291

43.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 RON 216

$39.38 RON 178

21.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 473

$59.0 RON 266

77.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 508

$66.5 RON 300

69.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 RON 3,002

$403 RON 1,819

65.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 RON 2,473

$298 RON 1,343

84.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 RON 5,473

$632 RON 2,853

91.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 RON 3,876

$463 RON 2,089

85.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 RON 21.5K

$1,979 RON 8,937

140.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,587 RON 16.2K

$1,393 RON 6,287

157.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,163

$555 RON 2,505

145.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.1

-4.23%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $665 in Cluj-Napoca and $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 146% 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 $23.00 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $198 per month, with Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sighetu Marmatiei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 146% 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: $665 in Cluj-Napoca versus $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sighetu Marmatiei runs roughly 42% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $613 in Cluj-Napoca versus $412 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighetu Marmatiei but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sighetu Marmatiei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.