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: $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,044 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,573 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,102 in Targu Frumos.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Targu Frumos is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 RON 51.8

$8.79 RON 40.31

28.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 RON 260

$41.04 RON 188

38.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.67

$9.01 RON 41.35

-8.88%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.91

$2.31 RON 10.58

50.22%

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

$2.43 RON 11.15

$1.28 RON 5.85

89.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.20

$1.16 RON 5.32

91.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.46

$2.24 RON 10.30

40.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.72

$2.72 RON 12.48

41.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.58 RON 7.25

13.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.96

$1.21 RON 5.54

7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.58 RON 7.24

15.19%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 15.46

$3.04 RON 13.95

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 RON 45.89

$8.89 RON 40.76

12.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RON 32.63

$7.13 RON 32.72

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 RON 54.2

$12.46 RON 57.1

-5.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.48

$0.98 RON 4.49

21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.18

$1.36 RON 6.25

30.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.42

$1.52 RON 6.95

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.87

$1.97 RON 9.05

20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.91 RON 4.15

12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.52

$0.93 RON 4.25

5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$0.75 RON 3.46

45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.78 RON 3.59

20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 29.49

$6.06 RON 27.78

6.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.75

$7.43 RON 34.07

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.36

$1.04 RON 4.77

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$1.67 RON 7.68

20.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.70 RON 3.23

1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

$19.76 RON 90.6

18.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.94 RON 4.33

7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$0.66 RON 3.01

25.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.91

$7.40 RON 33.93

29.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.60 RON 7.35

3.75%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$28.3K RON 129.8K

-0.74%

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

$26.1K RON 119.6K

$28.3K RON 129.7K

-7.80%

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

$161 RON 739

$173 RON 793

-6.83%

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

$8.89 RON 40.78

$8.68 RON 39.83

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 46.25

$9.71 RON 44.56

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 200

$40.92 RON 188

6.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 RON 91.2

$19.25 RON 88.3

3.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.84

$5.74 RON 26.33

43.73%

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

$476 RON 2,181

$437 RON 2,003

8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

$6,830 RON 31.3K

58.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

$73.2 RON 336

-3.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

$32.44 RON 149

26.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 395

$75.1 RON 345

14.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$79.9 RON 367

26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,256

$389 RON 1,785

82.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 RON 2,519

$286 RON 1,310

92.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 RON 5,740

$578 RON 2,652

116.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,258

$443 RON 2,032

109.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

$1,958 RON 8,980

145.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

$1,414 RON 6,485

142.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,235

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Cluj-Napoca and $389 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $41.00 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 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 $2,059 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,566 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: $710 in Cluj-Napoca versus $389 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 18% 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 $437 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,044 in Targu Frumos versus $1,373 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.