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: $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Craiova versus $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Craiova versus $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 17% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.52

$11.48 RON 50.1

-21.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 RON 200

$57.9 RON 253

-21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 36.06

$8.25 RON 35.98

0.24%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 10.84

$3.53 RON 15.40

-29.46%

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

$2.19 RON 9.53

$2.33 RON 10.16

-6.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.56

$2.22 RON 9.67

-11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.32

$3.19 RON 13.92

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 RON 14.98

$3.90 RON 16.98

-11.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.72 RON 7.52

-8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RON 4.31

$1.31 RON 5.70

-24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.38

$1.89 RON 8.26

-10.58%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.60

$3.23 RON 14.10

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 RON 33.59

$9.79 RON 42.69

-21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 29.25

$7.15 RON 31.19

-6.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 RON 42.65

$11.97 RON 52.2

-18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$1.23 RON 5.37

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.25

$1.77 RON 7.72

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.85

$1.62 RON 7.07

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RON 7.94

$2.37 RON 10.34

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.50

$0.97 RON 4.21

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.78

$0.93 RON 4.06

18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$1.04 RON 4.52

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.31

$0.87 RON 3.78

-12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 25.95

$6.51 RON 28.40

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$7.79 RON 33.97

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.47

$1.17 RON 5.08

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.55

$1.96 RON 8.53

11.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$0.67 RON 2.93

5.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.01 RON 100

$23.34 RON 102

-1.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$1.00 RON 4.36

-39.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$0.82 RON 3.57

-1.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 RON 29.96

$9.52 RON 41.50

-27.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.64 RON 7.14

-4.27%

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

$27.9K RON 121.4K

$28.3K RON 123.5K

-1.69%

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

$27.4K RON 119.4K

$26.9K RON 117.1K

1.95%

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

$207 RON 902

$158 RON 688

31.21%

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

$7.90 RON 34.45

$8.92 RON 38.87

-11.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 RON 51.2

$10.05 RON 43.81

16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 RON 159

$43.60 RON 190

-16.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 80.6

$20.27 RON 88.4

-8.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 RON 29.43

$7.93 RON 34.56

-14.88%

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

$445 RON 1,941

$490 RON 2,136

-9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 RON 38.6K

$10.5K RON 45.8K

-15.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 RON 344

$70.7 RON 308

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 RON 165

$40.62 RON 177

-7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 343

$85.1 RON 371

-7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 RON 373

$99.6 RON 434

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,668

$719 RON 3,135

-46.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,374

$558 RON 2,432

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,141

$1,274 RON 5,554

-43.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,935

$951 RON 4,144

-53.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 RON 11.9K

$4,661 RON 20.3K

-41.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 RON 9,133

$3,361 RON 14.7K

-37.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 RON 4,697

$1,415 RON 6,171

-23.89%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Craiova and $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 31% 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 $205 vs $232 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 31% 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: $382 in Craiova versus $719 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 $445 in Craiova versus $490 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,375 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 24% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.