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: $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,013 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,622 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,231 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 35% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Targu Jiu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 RON 51.7

$13.84 RON 63.4

-18.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 RON 259

$67.8 RON 310

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.59

$8.12 RON 37.19

1.11%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.88

$3.32 RON 15.18

4.52%

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

$2.43 RON 11.13

$1.13 RON 5.15

115.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.18

$2.40 RON 11.00

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.43

$3.35 RON 15.33

-5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.69

$3.96 RON 18.15

-2.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.22

$1.77 RON 8.11

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.95

$1.42 RON 6.50

-8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.31

$1.85 RON 8.48

-1.62%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 15.43

$3.02 RON 13.83

11.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 RON 45.80

$7.97 RON 36.47

25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RON 32.57

$3.16 RON 14.46

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 RON 54.1

$7.69 RON 35.20

53.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.47

$1.02 RON 4.68

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.16

$1.57 RON 7.21

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.30 RON 5.97

24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.85

$1.40 RON 6.42

69.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$0.90 RON 4.14

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.51

$0.98 RON 4.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.97

$0.66 RON 3.02

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.60 RON 2.74

56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 RON 29.43

$5.66 RON 25.92

13.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.68

$3.12 RON 14.30

149.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.35

$0.96 RON 4.39

21.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.23

$1.17 RON 5.34

71.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.70 RON 3.21

1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

$19.96 RON 91.4

17.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.67 RON 3.07

50.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$0.61 RON 2.77

36.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.83

$6.73 RON 30.83

42.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.69 RON 7.73

-1.78%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$29.2K RON 133.6K

-3.76%

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

$26.1K RON 119.3K

$30.7K RON 140.6K

-15.12%

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

$161 RON 738

$178 RON 814

-9.36%

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

$8.89 RON 40.70

$6.63 RON 30.35

34.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 46.16

$10.21 RON 46.75

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 RON 200

$40.73 RON 187

7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 RON 91.0

$19.42 RON 88.9

2.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.77

$9.23 RON 42.25

-10.62%

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

$476 RON 2,177

$657 RON 3,009

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.7K

$14.8K RON 67.6K

-26.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

$54.2 RON 248

30.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

$28.00 RON 128

46.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 394

$57.3 RON 262

50.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 461

$93.9 RON 430

7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,250

$376 RON 1,721

88.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 RON 2,514

$255 RON 1,167

115.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 RON 5,729

$521 RON 2,385

140.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 RON 4,250

$432 RON 1,980

114.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

$2,646 RON 12.1K

81.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,223

$554 RON 2,535

145.47%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Cluj-Napoca and $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 145% 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: $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $68.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $169, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 145% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 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: $710 in Cluj-Napoca versus $376 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 17% 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 $657 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,373 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 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.