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: $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca versus $979 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,490 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,001 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 53% more expensive than in Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 10% above, Targu Frumos is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 RON 59.0

$9.00 RON 41.05

43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 RON 256

$43.98 RON 201

27.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 RON 43.80

$8.80 RON 40.12

9.09%

Cappuccino

$3.89 RON 17.73

$2.41 RON 10.99

61.41%

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

$2.51 RON 11.47

$1.51 RON 6.91

66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.26

$1.24 RON 5.64

99.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 RON 15.12

$1.94 RON 8.87

70.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.53

$2.37 RON 10.82

89.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.69

$1.44 RON 6.57

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 RON 6.97

$1.18 RON 5.36

29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$1.54 RON 7.02

24.03%

Eggs

$3.87 RON 17.66

$3.03 RON 13.84

27.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 RON 45.00

$8.58 RON 39.12

15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.41

$6.29 RON 28.70

19.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 RON 54.5

$10.77 RON 49.13

10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.90

$1.05 RON 4.77

43.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.09

$1.40 RON 6.37

26.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.80

$1.51 RON 6.87

27.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 RON 12.06

$1.90 RON 8.65

38.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.27

$0.79 RON 3.59

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.58 RON 2.63

72.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.88 RON 4.01

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.62

$0.79 RON 3.59

27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 RON 29.65

$6.27 RON 28.59

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 RON 34.74

$7.94 RON 36.21

-4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.08

$1.12 RON 5.12

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.10

$1.70 RON 7.74

4.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.78 RON 3.58

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 RON 145

$22.30 RON 102

42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.38

$0.85 RON 3.86

12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.86 RON 3.91

17.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 RON 40.15

$7.98 RON 36.42

10.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.70

$1.85 RON 8.43

3.24%

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

$30.0K RON 136.7K

$29.1K RON 132.6K

3.14%

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

$26.3K RON 120.0K

$27.4K RON 125.0K

-4.06%

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

$164 RON 750

$107 RON 490

53.15%

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

$9.04 RON 41.26

$9.87 RON 45.02

-8.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.32 RON 47.08

$8.36 RON 38.12

23.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 RON 221

$39.49 RON 180

22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 RON 107

$21.50 RON 98.1

9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 44.96

$6.60 RON 30.11

49.39%

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

$618 RON 2,821

$455 RON 2,074

35.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 46.9K

$7,317 RON 33.4K

40.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 424

$55.8 RON 254

66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 RON 218

$31.17 RON 142

53.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 470

$79.2 RON 361

30.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 513

$82.1 RON 374

36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,949

$396 RON 1,806

63.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,472

$297 RON 1,354

82.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 RON 5,384

$634 RON 2,892

86.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,865

$472 RON 2,152

79.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,823 RON 22.0K

$1,883 RON 8,588

156.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 RON 16.0K

$1,385 RON 6,320

153.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,082

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

7.47

-8.97%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Cluj-Napoca and $396 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $44.00 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $204 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,252 in Cluj-Napoca and $1,468 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: $647 in Cluj-Napoca versus $396 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 42% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $618 in Cluj-Napoca versus $455 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $979 in Targu Frumos versus $1,501 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 53% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.