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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,039 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,627 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,800 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,214 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 33% more expensive than Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 RON 50.4

$13.93 RON 60.5

-16.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 RON 245

$68.5 RON 297

-17.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 RON 34.31

$8.09 RON 35.10

-2.22%

Cappuccino

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.44 RON 14.93

2.33%

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

$2.40 RON 10.42

$1.17 RON 5.07

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 RON 9.54

$2.29 RON 9.94

-3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 RON 13.63

$3.52 RON 15.29

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 RON 17.10

$3.85 RON 16.71

2.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 7.79

$1.75 RON 7.58

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.62

$1.43 RON 6.20

-9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.14

$1.92 RON 8.32

-2.08%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 14.63

$3.08 RON 13.38

9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 RON 44.33

$7.97 RON 34.59

28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 RON 31.57

$3.30 RON 14.31

120.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 RON 52.5

$8.05 RON 34.95

50.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.40

$1.02 RON 4.43

21.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.77

$1.64 RON 7.14

9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.11

$1.25 RON 5.41

31.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.42

$1.37 RON 5.93

75.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.09

$0.94 RON 4.08

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 3.96

$0.96 RON 4.17

-5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.48

$0.70 RON 3.06

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.12

$0.56 RON 2.45

69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 RON 28.43

$5.66 RON 24.55

15.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 RON 33.65

$3.24 RON 14.06

139.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 4.86

$0.94 RON 4.06

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 8.91

$1.12 RON 4.86

83.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.07

$0.72 RON 3.11

-1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 RON 99.2

$19.69 RON 85.4

16.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.29

$0.70 RON 3.05

41.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.63

$0.61 RON 2.64

37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 RON 39.39

$7.01 RON 30.42

29.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.29

$1.67 RON 7.25

0.60%

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

$28.6K RON 123.9K

$28.8K RON 125.2K

-1.00%

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

$26.5K RON 115.2K

$29.9K RON 129.8K

-11.22%

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

$158 RON 685

$178 RON 771

-11.17%

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

$9.15 RON 39.69

$6.41 RON 27.82

42.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 RON 43.97

$10.25 RON 44.49

-1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 RON 190

$41.67 RON 181

5.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.09 RON 87.2

$19.38 RON 84.1

3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 RON 35.17

$9.38 RON 40.71

-13.65%

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

$479 RON 2,080

$670 RON 2,906

-28.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 46.2K

$14.5K RON 63.0K

-26.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 RON 299

$55.8 RON 242

23.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 RON 172

$27.14 RON 118

46.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 363

$56.8 RON 247

47.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 RON 428

$93.7 RON 407

5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 RON 3,056

$375 RON 1,627

87.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,451

$250 RON 1,084

126.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 RON 5,569

$527 RON 2,287

143.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,037

$440 RON 1,911

111.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 RON 20.5K

$2,788 RON 12.1K

69.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 14.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,404 RON 6,093

$565 RON 2,454

148.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.1

-17.61%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 21, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Cluj-Napoca and $375 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 148% 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: $56 in Cluj-Napoca vs $68 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $171, with Targu Jiu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Jiu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 148% 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: $704 in Cluj-Napoca versus $375 in Targu Jiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Jiu runs roughly 16% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $479 in Cluj-Napoca versus $670 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Jiu 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 Jiu 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 Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.