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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 19% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 17% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$11.58 RON 52.4

-22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$57.8 RON 261

-19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$8.08 RON 36.53

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$3.53 RON 15.99

-26.63%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.30 RON 10.40

-9.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$2.13 RON 9.65

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$3.28 RON 14.84

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$4.02 RON 18.18

-12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.79 RON 8.11

-15.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.35 RON 6.10

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.89 RON 8.56

-9.52%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.26 RON 14.75

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$10.25 RON 46.36

-24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$7.06 RON 31.96

-7.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$12.06 RON 54.6

-21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.18 RON 5.36

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.72 RON 7.80

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.63 RON 7.39

-3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$2.42 RON 10.93

-22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.95 RON 4.30

8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.93 RON 4.23

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$1.08 RON 4.89

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.88 RON 3.99

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$6.56 RON 29.67

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$7.76 RON 35.09

-22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.16 RON 5.23

12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$1.96 RON 8.86

15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$22.65 RON 102

2.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$1.00 RON 4.51

-43.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.86 RON 3.90

-3.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$9.43 RON 42.67

-24.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.70 RON 7.71

-5.29%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$28.5K RON 128.9K

-3.36%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$26.7K RON 120.8K

4.28%

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

$212 RON 957

$156 RON 704

35.94%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$9.13 RON 41.29

-11.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$9.87 RON 44.65

16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$44.65 RON 202

-19.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$20.25 RON 91.6

-7.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$8.27 RON 37.39

-19.11%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$481 RON 2,176

-9.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$10.5K RON 47.5K

-14.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$69.5 RON 314

15.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$40.69 RON 184

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$84.5 RON 382

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$99.9 RON 452

-12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$707 RON 3,196

-45.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$564 RON 2,552

-45.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$1,261 RON 5,706

-42.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$930 RON 4,209

-51.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$4,832 RON 21.9K

-45.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$3,491 RON 15.8K

-41.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$1,369 RON 6,194

-27.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

5.85

7.35%

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

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 37% 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: $46.00 in Craiova vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $234 per month, with Craiova 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

Craiova vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 37% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Craiova versus $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 3% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Craiova versus $481 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Craiova 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, Craiova and Cluj-Napoca 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.