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: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,036 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,614 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,192 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 44% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Targu Jiu is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 61.0

$14.26 RON 64.6

-5.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 259

$61.6 RON 279

-7.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.59

$7.54 RON 34.15

33.55%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.74

$3.58 RON 16.23

9.50%

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

$2.47 RON 11.21

$1.13 RON 5.12

118.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.17

$2.36 RON 10.70

4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.23

$3.87 RON 17.53

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.21

$4.55 RON 20.61

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.80 RON 8.13

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.42 RON 6.41

11.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$1.72 RON 7.80

8.14%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.67

$2.88 RON 13.02

35.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.87

$7.96 RON 36.06

21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.26

$3.06 RON 13.88

154.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.8

$7.58 RON 34.33

59.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$0.99 RON 4.47

50.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$1.59 RON 7.20

12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.90

$1.21 RON 5.48

61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.65

$1.30 RON 5.90

97.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.82 RON 3.71

21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$0.76 RON 3.43

38.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$0.68 RON 3.09

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.54 RON 2.43

90.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.60

$5.44 RON 24.65

24.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.16

$3.09 RON 13.98

144.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$0.86 RON 3.89

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.42

$1.12 RON 5.09

66.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.82 RON 3.70

-3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 147

$20.14 RON 91.2

60.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.67 RON 3.04

37.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$0.69 RON 3.13

42.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.30

$6.70 RON 30.34

36.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$1.58 RON 7.14

20.89%

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

$29.3K RON 132.8K

$30.1K RON 136.5K

-2.71%

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

$26.1K RON 118.4K

$28.4K RON 128.4K

-7.81%

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

$165 RON 745

$201 RON 909

-17.98%

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

$8.94 RON 40.48

$6.28 RON 28.43

42.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 46.02

$9.92 RON 44.92

2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$39.76 RON 180

25.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 106

$19.70 RON 89.2

18.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.99

$8.83 RON 39.98

12.46%

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

$624 RON 2,827

$648 RON 2,934

-3.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.3K

$7,186 RON 32.5K

39.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 425

$53.4 RON 242

75.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 224

$26.35 RON 119

87.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 468

$54.3 RON 246

90.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 530

$87.3 RON 395

34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,065

$360 RON 1,630

88.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,524

$250 RON 1,131

123.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,413

$500 RON 2,267

138.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,824

$417 RON 1,888

102.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$1,916 RON 8,679

153.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.1K

$1,268 RON 5,741

179.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,070

$555 RON 2,515

141.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.82

-0.29%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $360 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 141% 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 $62.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $164, 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 141% 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: $677 in Cluj-Napoca versus $360 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 61% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Cluj-Napoca versus $648 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,488 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 44% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.