Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Targu Frumos Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Targu Frumos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,059 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,553 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,046 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 31% more expensive than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Targu Frumos is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.5

$8.88 RON 40.41

29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 265

$40.62 RON 185

43.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.36

$9.14 RON 41.61

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.35

$2.20 RON 10.02

53.18%

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

$2.42 RON 11.01

$1.32 RON 6.02

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.97

$1.15 RON 5.23

90.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.81

$2.16 RON 9.85

50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.74

$2.71 RON 12.35

43.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.91

$1.61 RON 7.32

8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.07

$1.16 RON 5.26

14.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.37

$1.64 RON 7.45

12.20%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.74

$2.99 RON 13.59

8.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 46.20

$8.76 RON 39.88

15.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.38

$7.20 RON 32.78

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 55.0

$12.54 RON 57.1

-3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$0.98 RON 4.45

25.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.87

$1.32 RON 6.01

31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.07

$1.52 RON 6.90

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.59

$1.91 RON 8.69

21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.63

$0.96 RON 4.35

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$0.92 RON 4.17

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.73

$0.78 RON 3.56

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.74 RON 3.36

18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.73

$6.26 RON 28.51

4.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 36.13

$7.71 RON 35.10

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$1.03 RON 4.69

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.33

$1.70 RON 7.76

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.71 RON 3.23

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 106

$19.86 RON 90.4

17.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.91 RON 4.13

9.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$0.61 RON 2.79

45.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 43.00

$7.34 RON 33.42

28.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.69

$1.59 RON 7.24

6.29%

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

$28.4K RON 129.5K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

0.54%

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

$27.1K RON 123.2K

$27.5K RON 125.0K

-1.41%

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

$161 RON 735

$170 RON 772

-4.81%

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

$9.19 RON 41.82

$8.69 RON 39.55

5.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.95

$10.08 RON 45.88

-4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 204

$42.05 RON 191

6.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 90.4

$19.03 RON 86.6

4.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.56

$5.86 RON 26.69

40.78%

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

$491 RON 2,236

$422 RON 1,919

16.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.3K

$7,030 RON 32.0K

54.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 323

$72.7 RON 331

-2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 180

$32.09 RON 146

22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$74.7 RON 340

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 453

$79.7 RON 363

24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,151

$382 RON 1,738

81.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,503

$287 RON 1,304

91.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,665

$576 RON 2,624

115.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,203

$434 RON 1,977

112.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.5K

$1,695 RON 7,718

165.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.2K

$1,322 RON 6,020

151.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,275

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

8.17

-28.40%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $382 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $41.00 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $215 per month, with Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Frumos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,080 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,589 in Targu Frumos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $382 in Targu Frumos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Frumos 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 $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $422 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,059 in Targu Frumos versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Targu Frumos but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Frumos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.