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: $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca versus $985 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,413 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,841 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 39% more expensive than in 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

$11.30 RON 51.8

$7.10 RON 32.55

59.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 RON 260

$22.92 RON 105

147.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.67

$6.47 RON 29.70

26.89%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.91

$1.87 RON 8.58

85.56%

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

$2.43 RON 11.15

$1.99 RON 9.12

22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.20

$1.58 RON 7.26

40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.46

$2.12 RON 9.70

48.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.72

$2.92 RON 13.41

32.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.23 RON 5.62

46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.96

$1.19 RON 5.47

9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.97 RON 9.02

-7.61%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 15.46

$2.86 RON 13.10

17.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 RON 45.89

$8.48 RON 38.90

17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RON 32.63

$6.97 RON 31.98

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 RON 54.2

$11.52 RON 52.8

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.48

$0.97 RON 4.44

22.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.18

$1.52 RON 6.95

17.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.42

$1.44 RON 6.61

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.87

$1.88 RON 8.61

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.76 RON 3.51

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.52

$1.06 RON 4.85

-7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.99 RON 4.55

10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.65 RON 2.98

44.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 29.49

$5.40 RON 24.76

19.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.75

$5.87 RON 26.92

32.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.36

$0.94 RON 4.30

24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$1.48 RON 6.79

35.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.67 RON 3.06

5.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

$20.01 RON 91.8

16.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$1.12 RON 5.14

-9.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$0.76 RON 3.47

9.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.91

$6.92 RON 31.76

38.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.58 RON 7.23

5.06%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$28.0K RON 128.3K

0.40%

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

$26.1K RON 119.6K

$26.3K RON 120.6K

-0.88%

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

$161 RON 739

$162 RON 742

-0.31%

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

$8.89 RON 40.78

$7.74 RON 35.52

14.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 46.25

$9.45 RON 43.36

6.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 200

$42.11 RON 193

3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 RON 91.2

$19.36 RON 88.8

2.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.84

$4.72 RON 21.67

74.79%

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

$476 RON 2,181

$310 RON 1,423

53.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

$9,804 RON 45.0K

10.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

$38.01 RON 174

85.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

$30.45 RON 140

34.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 395

$73.9 RON 339

16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$73.6 RON 337

36.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,256

$388 RON 1,781

82.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 RON 2,519

$285 RON 1,306

92.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 RON 5,740

$581 RON 2,666

115.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,258

$435 RON 1,997

113.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

$1,963 RON 9,006

144.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

$1,233 RON 5,654

177.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,235

$549 RON 2,517

147.68%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Cluj-Napoca and $388 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 148% 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 $234 vs $203 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 148% 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: $710 in Cluj-Napoca versus $388 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 17% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $476 in Cluj-Napoca versus $310 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $985 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,373 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 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.