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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca versus $993 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,532 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,071 in Targu Mures.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 50% more expensive than in Targu Mures, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 8% above, Targu Mures is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 RON 60.8

$9.12 RON 41.16

47.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 RON 258

$45.14 RON 204

26.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 RON 45.45

$8.66 RON 39.09

16.28%

Cappuccino

$3.92 RON 17.69

$2.40 RON 10.83

63.33%

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

$2.47 RON 11.17

$1.58 RON 7.15

56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 RON 11.13

$1.29 RON 5.83

91.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$1.95 RON 8.81

72.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.14

$2.49 RON 11.24

79.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.42 RON 6.41

22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.12 RON 5.04

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.53 RON 6.93

21.57%

Eggs

$3.90 RON 17.62

$2.99 RON 13.49

30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.73

$8.50 RON 38.36

14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.15

$6.24 RON 28.18

24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 RON 54.7

$10.62 RON 47.96

14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.71

$1.03 RON 4.65

44.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.09

$1.34 RON 6.03

33.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.87

$1.46 RON 6.61

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.61

$1.90 RON 8.57

35.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.76 RON 3.42

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.56 RON 2.54

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.86 RON 3.89

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.75 RON 3.39

37.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.50

$6.22 RON 28.10

8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.05

$7.95 RON 35.88

-5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.12 RON 5.06

15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.39

$1.64 RON 7.42

13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$0.64 RON 2.88

23.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

$27.06 RON 122

19.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$0.90 RON 4.07

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$0.91 RON 4.10

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.17

$8.08 RON 36.46

12.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RON 8.60

$1.87 RON 8.43

2.14%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$29.8K RON 134.6K

-1.64%

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

$26.6K RON 120.2K

-1.80%

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

$165 RON 743

$106 RON 477

55.69%

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

$8.94 RON 40.35

$9.81 RON 44.29

-8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 RON 45.88

$8.36 RON 37.73

21.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 RON 226

$43.43 RON 196

15.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

$19.34 RON 87.3

20.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.85

$6.76 RON 30.53

46.89%

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

$624 RON 2,819

$1,374 RON 6,203

-54.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

$56.3 RON 254

66.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

$31.54 RON 142

56.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

$80.9 RON 365

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

$81.7 RON 369

43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,055

$444 RON 2,004

52.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,516

$307 RON 1,386

81.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 RON 5,396

$667 RON 3,010

79.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,812

$505 RON 2,281

67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

$2,388 RON 10.8K

103.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 RON 16.0K

$1,511 RON 6,820

134.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 RON 6,051

$1,042 RON 4,704

28.64%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Cluj-Napoca and $444 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 29% 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 $45.00 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $201 per month, with Targu Mures 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 Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% 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 $444 in Targu Mures. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 20% 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 $1,374 in Targu Mures. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $993 in Targu Mures versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.