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: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $989 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,542 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,096 in Sighisoara.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 39% more expensive than Sighisoara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Sighisoara is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.6

$11.73 RON 53.3

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 262

$40.70 RON 185

41.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.66

$8.07 RON 36.65

0.12%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.05

$2.27 RON 10.32

55.51%

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

$2.30 RON 10.44

$2.28 RON 10.36

0.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.68

$1.73 RON 7.85

23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.89

$2.28 RON 10.33

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.24

$2.97 RON 13.47

35.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.13

$1.58 RON 7.19

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.30 RON 5.88

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.59

$1.65 RON 7.49

14.55%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.80

$3.29 RON 14.93

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.52

$7.92 RON 35.93

29.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.07

$7.14 RON 32.43

-1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.8

$7.85 RON 35.61

53.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.38

$1.12 RON 5.07

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.82

$1.78 RON 8.07

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.42

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.97

$2.32 RON 10.53

4.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$0.79 RON 3.58

20.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$0.91 RON 4.12

2.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.91

$1.08 RON 4.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.88 RON 4.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.77

$5.84 RON 26.49

12.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.22

$7.74 RON 35.13

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.25

$1.13 RON 5.12

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.89

$1.99 RON 9.02

-1.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.70 RON 3.19

-4.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

$20.03 RON 90.9

13.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$1.00 RON 4.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.80 RON 3.62

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.82

$9.55 RON 43.34

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.74

$1.64 RON 7.45

3.66%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.5K RON 129.3K

0.11%

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

$26.7K RON 121.2K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

1.25%

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

$156 RON 707

$66.4 RON 301

134.51%

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

$9.13 RON 41.44

$9.01 RON 40.92

1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.81

$9.03 RON 40.99

9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 203

$41.21 RON 187

8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.9

$19.34 RON 87.8

4.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.52

$7.83 RON 35.55

5.62%

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

$481 RON 2,184

$479 RON 2,173

0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.6K

$10.6K RON 48.0K

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

$68.9 RON 313

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

$39.65 RON 180

2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

$86.4 RON 392

-2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

$98.7 RON 448

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,208

$390 RON 1,769

81.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,561

$292 RON 1,327

92.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,726

$594 RON 2,698

112.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,224

$436 RON 1,978

113.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,908 RON 8,661

153.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$1,365 RON 6,196

155.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,216

$625 RON 2,837

119.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $390 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 119% 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 $41.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $210 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 119% 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: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $390 in Sighisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sighisoara runs roughly 13% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Cluj-Napoca versus $479 in Sighisoara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $989 in Sighisoara versus $1,374 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 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.