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: $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Craiova versus $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Craiova versus $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 18% 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

$9.38 RON 42.65

$11.38 RON 51.7

-17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 RON 209

$57.6 RON 262

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.18

$7.94 RON 36.09

0.25%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 11.31

$3.53 RON 16.06

-29.46%

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

$2.10 RON 9.54

$2.37 RON 10.79

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.75

$2.12 RON 9.65

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.21

$3.13 RON 14.23

-28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.23

$4.02 RON 18.27

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.77 RON 8.05

-11.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$1.31 RON 5.94

-23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.77

$1.81 RON 8.25

-5.52%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.66

$3.34 RON 15.17

-3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 RON 35.11

$9.83 RON 44.70

-21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.47

$7.27 RON 33.06

-10.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 RON 44.59

$12.00 RON 54.5

-18.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$1.23 RON 5.59

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.73

$1.77 RON 8.05

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.56 RON 7.09

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.36

$2.36 RON 10.74

-22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.88

$0.94 RON 4.29

13.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$0.97 RON 4.41

17.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$1.09 RON 4.96

-26.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.92 RON 4.19

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.74

$6.44 RON 29.27

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 RON 28.81

$7.54 RON 34.27

-15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.17 RON 5.31

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.24

$1.96 RON 8.91

14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.67 RON 3.04

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 RON 105

$23.24 RON 106

-0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$0.99 RON 4.49

-43.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.82 RON 3.73

8.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 30.69

$9.11 RON 41.43

-25.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.69 RON 7.66

-5.33%

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

$27.5K RON 124.9K

$28.4K RON 129.3K

-3.38%

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

$27.6K RON 125.6K

$27.0K RON 122.9K

2.19%

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

$212 RON 964

$158 RON 720

34.00%

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

$8.08 RON 36.73

$8.72 RON 39.66

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 RON 52.6

$9.91 RON 45.08

16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 RON 168

$43.33 RON 197

-14.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 RON 86.2

$20.21 RON 91.9

-6.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 RON 29.76

$7.86 RON 35.75

-16.79%

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

$434 RON 1,971

$492 RON 2,239

-11.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 RON 40.3K

$10.5K RON 47.7K

-15.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

$70.0 RON 318

12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.91 RON 172

$41.01 RON 186

-7.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 RON 353

$84.2 RON 383

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 RON 394

$101 RON 460

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,756

$712 RON 3,236

-45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,439

$548 RON 2,491

-42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 RON 3,209

$1,267 RON 5,762

-44.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,980

$940 RON 4,275

-53.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 RON 12.4K

$4,857 RON 22.1K

-43.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 RON 9,082

$3,404 RON 15.5K

-41.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 RON 4,297

$1,325 RON 6,024

-28.66%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Craiova and $712 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 40% 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 $204 vs $233 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, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Cluj-Napoca. 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: $386 in Craiova versus $712 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 1% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $434 in Craiova versus $492 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,361 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.