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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca versus $969 in Tulcea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,499 in Tulcea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,030 in Tulcea.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 42% more expensive than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 2% above, Tulcea is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 RON 52.6

$9.86 RON 44.76

17.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 262

$42.30 RON 192

36.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.66

$7.89 RON 35.83

2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 16.05

$2.70 RON 12.26

30.74%

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

$2.30 RON 10.44

$1.94 RON 8.80

18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.68

$1.94 RON 8.82

9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.89

$2.28 RON 10.34

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.24

$3.54 RON 16.06

13.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.13

$1.40 RON 6.34

27.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.09 RON 4.93

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.59

$1.69 RON 7.65

11.83%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.80

$2.39 RON 10.83

36.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 RON 46.52

$8.87 RON 40.25

15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.07

$7.10 RON 32.23

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 RON 54.8

$8.93 RON 40.55

35.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.38

$1.18 RON 5.34

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.82

$1.47 RON 6.67

17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.42

$1.29 RON 5.83

26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 10.97

$1.96 RON 8.88

23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$0.74 RON 3.38

28.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$0.89 RON 4.05

4.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.91

$0.70 RON 3.20

54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.86 RON 3.89

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 RON 29.77

$5.88 RON 26.68

11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.22

$6.80 RON 30.89

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.25

$0.98 RON 4.45

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.89

$1.41 RON 6.40

39.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.71 RON 3.23

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

$27.64 RON 125

-18.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.68 RON 3.08

47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.65 RON 2.95

32.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.82

$5.59 RON 25.38

68.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.74

$1.60 RON 7.27

6.25%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$25.2K RON 114.4K

13.11%

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

$26.7K RON 121.2K

$26.9K RON 122.1K

-0.72%

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

$156 RON 707

$92.2 RON 419

68.82%

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

$9.13 RON 41.44

$8.10 RON 36.77

12.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.81

$9.71 RON 44.07

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 RON 203

$26.58 RON 121

67.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 RON 91.9

$19.11 RON 86.8

5.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 RON 37.52

$6.71 RON 30.46

23.25%

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

$481 RON 2,184

$430 RON 1,952

11.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.6K

$6,893 RON 31.3K

52.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

$84.1 RON 382

-17.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

$41.91 RON 190

-2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

$74.8 RON 339

13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

$96.4 RON 438

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,208

$389 RON 1,766

81.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,561

$289 RON 1,314

94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 RON 5,726

$577 RON 2,621

118.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 RON 4,224

$433 RON 1,966

114.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

$1,329 RON 6,034

263.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

$1,165 RON 5,287

199.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,369 RON 6,216

$644 RON 2,921

112.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Cluj-Napoca and $389 in Tulcea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 113% 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 $42.00 in Tulcea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $198 per month, with Tulcea 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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulcea is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 113% 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 $389 in Tulcea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tulcea runs roughly 22% 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 $430 in Tulcea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in Tulcea versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulcea but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Tulcea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tulcea 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 Tulcea 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 Tulcea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.