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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $994 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,604 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,214 in Sighisoara.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 50% more expensive than in Sighisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Sighisoara is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 60.8

$11.16 RON 50.4

20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 258

$39.19 RON 177

45.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.45

$8.63 RON 38.97

16.69%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$2.27 RON 10.27

72.69%

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

$2.47 RON 11.17

$2.16 RON 9.73

14.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.13

$2.49 RON 11.24

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$2.23 RON 10.05

50.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.14

$2.84 RON 12.84

57.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.52 RON 6.88

14.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.29 RON 5.81

23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.57 RON 7.10

18.47%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.62

$3.53 RON 15.92

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.73

$7.78 RON 35.13

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.15

$7.64 RON 34.48

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.7

$7.69 RON 34.70

57.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.71

$1.13 RON 5.08

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.09

$1.78 RON 8.05

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.87

$1.84 RON 8.31

6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.61

$2.52 RON 11.37

1.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.80 RON 3.61

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.04 RON 4.69

0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$1.01 RON 4.54

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$1.08 RON 4.86

-4.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.50

$5.48 RON 24.73

23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.05

$7.55 RON 34.10

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.28 RON 5.80

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.39

$1.86 RON 8.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$0.64 RON 2.88

23.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$0.91 RON 4.12

1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$1.02 RON 4.61

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.17

$9.04 RON 40.80

0.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.60

$1.74 RON 7.87

9.77%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$29.9K RON 135.2K

-2.10%

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

$25.8K RON 116.3K

1.47%

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

$165 RON 743

$63.4 RON 286

159.62%

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

$8.94 RON 40.35

$8.73 RON 39.40

2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 45.88

$8.77 RON 39.58

15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$55.5 RON 250

-9.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.85

$10.15 RON 45.83

-2.17%

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

$624 RON 2,819

$616 RON 2,781

1.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

$10.0K RON 45.3K

-0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

$94.9 RON 429

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

$49.35 RON 223

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

$107 RON 484

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

$114 RON 514

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,055

$339 RON 1,529

99.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,516

$269 RON 1,216

106.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,396

$564 RON 2,547

111.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,812

$510 RON 2,303

65.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$1,677 RON 7,570

190.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.0K

$1,128 RON 5,090

214.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,051

$616 RON 2,782

117.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $339 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 118% 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 $39.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $216 per month, with Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sighisoara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $339 in Sighisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Cluj-Napoca versus $616 in Sighisoara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sighisoara – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $994 in Sighisoara versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighisoara but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sighisoara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara 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.