Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 18% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 6% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 RON 52.4

$10.82 ₾28.38

5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$43.85 ₾115

31.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$8.31 ₾21.79

-2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.54

$2.97 ₾7.78

14.14%

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

$2.35 RON 10.78

$0.77 ₾2.01

205.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$0.46 ₾1.20

358.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.99

$2.14 ₾5.63

52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.46

$2.87 ₾7.52

40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.90 ₾4.99

-5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$0.71 ₾1.86

90.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.56

$1.91 ₾5.00

-2.62%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.38

$2.48 ₾6.52

35.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 RON 44.47

$7.74 ₾20.29

25.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.40

$6.18 ₾16.20

14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 54.8

$9.57 ₾25.11

24.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.17 ₾3.06

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.91

$1.65 ₾4.34

4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.52

$1.85 ₾4.84

-11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 10.90

$2.33 ₾6.11

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$0.71 ₾1.85

33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$0.67 ₾1.76

38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.99

$1.19 ₾3.12

-8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.66 ₾1.72

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 28.94

$2.92 ₾7.65

115.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 RON 35.10

$7.69 ₾20.17

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.38

$1.59 ₾4.18

-26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.32

$2.31 ₾6.06

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.38 ₾1.01

86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.37 RON 107

$14.76 ₾38.71

58.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.35

$1.50 ₾3.92

-36.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.68 ₾1.77

19.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 RON 43.86

$7.26 ₾19.03

31.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.47

$1.09 ₾2.87

49.54%

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

$27.6K RON 126.7K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

48.34%

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

$27.1K RON 124.4K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

32.36%

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

$160 RON 734

$73.0 ₾191

119.04%

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

$9.06 RON 41.60

$11.97 ₾31.40

-24.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.14 RON 46.54

$18.00 ₾47.21

-43.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.86 RON 206

$61.0 ₾160

-26.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 RON 91.5

$16.52 ₾43.33

20.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 RON 36.41

$6.70 ₾17.58

18.36%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$269 ₾705

76.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.4K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

108.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 321

$76.5 ₾201

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 RON 181

$43.41 ₾114

-9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 397

$120 ₾316

-28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 460

$111 ₾290

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 RON 3,278

$687 ₾1,802

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,566

$470 ₾1,234

18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,709

$1,353 ₾3,549

-8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 RON 4,329

$789 ₾2,069

19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,645 RON 21.3K

$2,468 ₾6,472

88.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,395 RON 15.6K

$1,456 ₾3,817

133.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 RON 6,032

$659 ₾1,729

99.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.89

-50.80%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $714 in Cluj-Napoca and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 99% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $205 per month, with Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $714 in Cluj-Napoca versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 58% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $475 in Cluj-Napoca versus $269 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.