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: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $992 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,430 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,867 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 40% more expensive than Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Sighetu Marmatiei is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.5

$6.98 RON 31.79

65.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 265

$23.26 RON 106

149.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.36

$6.63 RON 30.17

23.83%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.35

$1.87 RON 8.50

80.21%

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

$2.42 RON 11.01

$2.08 RON 9.47

16.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.97

$1.60 RON 7.29

36.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.81

$2.10 RON 9.55

54.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.74

$3.01 RON 13.68

29.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.91

$1.20 RON 5.46

45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.07

$1.13 RON 5.14

17.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.37

$1.88 RON 8.55

-2.13%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.74

$2.81 RON 12.80

15.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 46.20

$8.74 RON 39.78

16.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.38

$6.93 RON 31.56

-0.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 55.0

$11.53 RON 52.5

4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$0.92 RON 4.17

33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.87

$1.58 RON 7.17

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.07

$1.44 RON 6.55

7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.59

$1.94 RON 8.82

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.63

$0.78 RON 3.54

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$1.06 RON 4.82

-8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.59 RON 2.69

49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.73

$5.54 RON 25.23

17.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 36.13

$5.96 RON 27.13

33.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$0.95 RON 4.31

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.33

$1.52 RON 6.92

34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.66 RON 3.01

6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 106

$19.84 RON 90.3

17.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$1.16 RON 5.29

-13.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$0.75 RON 3.39

18.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 43.00

$6.80 RON 30.95

38.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.69

$1.62 RON 7.39

4.32%

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

$28.4K RON 129.5K

$28.1K RON 127.7K

1.39%

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

$27.1K RON 123.2K

$25.8K RON 117.6K

4.77%

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

$161 RON 735

$163 RON 740

-0.76%

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

$9.19 RON 41.82

$7.76 RON 35.34

18.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.95

$9.66 RON 43.99

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 204

$41.51 RON 189

7.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 90.4

$18.88 RON 85.9

5.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.56

$4.58 RON 20.83

80.13%

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

$491 RON 2,236

$303 RON 1,380

62.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.3K

$9,766 RON 44.5K

10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 323

$37.69 RON 172

88.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 180

$30.41 RON 138

29.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$73.0 RON 332

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 453

$72.5 RON 330

37.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,151

$390 RON 1,774

77.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,503

$285 RON 1,298

92.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,665

$584 RON 2,657

113.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,203

$434 RON 1,978

112.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.5K

$1,635 RON 7,443

174.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.2K

$1,582 RON 7,203

110.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,275

$563 RON 2,565

144.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.11

-17.72%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $390 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 145% 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 $23.00 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $202 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 145% 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: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $390 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 18% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $303 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $992 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,387 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 40% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.