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: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,061 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,549 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,037 in Targu Mures.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 29% more expensive than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Targu Mures is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.6

$8.79 RON 39.91

31.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 262

$40.85 RON 185

41.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.66

$8.78 RON 39.86

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.05

$2.28 RON 10.35

54.82%

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

$2.30 RON 10.44

$1.26 RON 5.72

82.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.68

$1.15 RON 5.24

85.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.89

$2.16 RON 9.81

51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.24

$2.72 RON 12.34

47.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.13

$1.60 RON 7.27

11.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.21 RON 5.51

11.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.59

$1.59 RON 7.20

18.87%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.80

$2.98 RON 13.53

9.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.52

$8.87 RON 40.26

15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.07

$6.91 RON 31.36

2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.8

$12.30 RON 55.9

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.38

$0.97 RON 4.41

21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.82

$1.32 RON 6.01

30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.42

$1.49 RON 6.74

9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.97

$1.91 RON 8.68

26.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$0.87 RON 3.97

9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$0.89 RON 4.02

4.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.91

$0.79 RON 3.58

36.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.81 RON 3.66

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.77

$6.06 RON 27.52

8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.22

$7.80 RON 35.41

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.25

$1.04 RON 4.74

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.89

$1.68 RON 7.62

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.59 RON 2.70

13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

$14.77 RON 67.1

53.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.88 RON 4.01

13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.71 RON 3.24

21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.82

$7.50 RON 34.06

25.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.74

$1.52 RON 6.91

11.84%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$27.5K RON 124.8K

3.71%

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

$26.7K RON 121.2K

$27.9K RON 126.8K

-4.42%

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

$156 RON 707

$169 RON 766

-7.70%

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

$9.13 RON 41.44

$8.60 RON 39.05

6.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.81

$9.90 RON 44.96

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 203

$46.97 RON 213

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.9

$18.22 RON 82.7

11.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.52

$5.67 RON 25.73

45.86%

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

$481 RON 2,184

$1,378 RON 6,254

-65.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.6K

$6,946 RON 31.5K

51.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

$72.2 RON 328

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

$32.87 RON 149

23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

$72.3 RON 328

16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

$81.8 RON 371

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,208

$440 RON 1,996

60.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,561

$312 RON 1,415

80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,726

$567 RON 2,576

122.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,224

$399 RON 1,810

133.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$2,355 RON 10.7K

105.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$1,505 RON 6,830

132.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,216

$1,066 RON 4,840

28.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

8.17

-28.40%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $440 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 28% 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 $41.00 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $214 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 28% 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: $707 in Cluj-Napoca versus $440 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 53% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,378 in Targu Mures. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,374 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 29% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.