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: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,027 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,641 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,255 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 35% 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 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.4

$13.95 RON 63.4

-17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 264

$68.1 RON 310

-14.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.31

$8.01 RON 36.41

2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.33

$3.35 RON 15.25

0.60%

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

$2.42 RON 10.99

$1.13 RON 5.13

114.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.96

$2.40 RON 10.91

-8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.79

$3.53 RON 16.02

-7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.71

$3.86 RON 17.56

1.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$1.73 RON 7.89

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.06

$1.37 RON 6.24

-2.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.36

$1.91 RON 8.70

-3.66%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.72

$3.01 RON 13.67

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 46.13

$7.93 RON 36.03

27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.33

$3.17 RON 14.42

117.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 54.9

$7.98 RON 36.28

51.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.60

$1.01 RON 4.60

21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.86

$1.64 RON 7.44

5.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.06

$1.26 RON 5.72

23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.57

$1.34 RON 6.11

73.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.62

$0.88 RON 4.00

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$1.01 RON 4.60

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.72

$0.67 RON 3.05

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.59 RON 2.69

49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.69

$5.60 RON 25.48

16.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 36.08

$3.03 RON 13.76

162.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$0.95 RON 4.31

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.32

$1.13 RON 5.15

81.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.67 RON 3.05

4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 106

$20.17 RON 91.7

15.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.55

$0.72 RON 3.29

38.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$0.61 RON 2.79

45.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 42.94

$6.85 RON 31.12

37.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.68

$1.68 RON 7.65

0.60%

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

$28.4K RON 129.3K

$28.8K RON 131.1K

-1.39%

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

$27.1K RON 123.0K

$30.8K RON 139.9K

-12.06%

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

$161 RON 734

$179 RON 813

-9.76%

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

$9.19 RON 41.76

$6.43 RON 29.24

42.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.89

$10.49 RON 47.70

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 203

$41.16 RON 187

8.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 90.3

$19.45 RON 88.4

2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.51

$9.29 RON 42.21

-11.19%

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

$491 RON 2,232

$656 RON 2,982

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.2K

$14.6K RON 66.2K

-25.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 322

$55.5 RON 252

27.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 179

$28.14 RON 128

40.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 383

$57.0 RON 259

47.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 452

$91.8 RON 417

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,147

$374 RON 1,702

84.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,499

$256 RON 1,164

114.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,656

$522 RON 2,374

138.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,197

$432 RON 1,966

113.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.4K

$2,632 RON 12.0K

70.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,266

$544 RON 2,474

153.22%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $374 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 153% 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: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $68.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $168, 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.

Cluj-Napoca pays 153% 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: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $374 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 $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $656 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,027 in Targu Jiu versus $1,387 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.