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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Elbasan versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Elbasan versus $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,953 in Elbasan versus $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Elbasan costs roughly 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elbasan is 34% below, Cluj-Napoca is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ALL 784

$12.94 RON 60.1

-23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 ALL 3,026

$56.1 RON 261

-31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ALL 553

$9.60 RON 44.57

-27.40%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ALL 138

$3.89 RON 18.05

-55.27%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.51 RON 11.67

-43.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.7

$2.47 RON 11.46

-71.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ALL 176

$3.31 RON 15.39

-32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ALL 228

$4.50 RON 20.89

-36.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 157

$1.69 RON 7.82

17.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ALL 78.7

$1.53 RON 7.09

-35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.91 RON 8.86

-15.18%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 221

$3.87 RON 17.97

-28.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ALL 825

$9.87 RON 45.79

5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ALL 472

$7.54 RON 35.02

-21.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ALL 912

$11.94 RON 55.4

-3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.51 RON 7.03

-15.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ALL 179

$1.77 RON 8.24

27.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.93 RON 8.95

-26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.7

$2.64 RON 12.27

-57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.4

$0.94 RON 4.34

11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ALL 84.6

$1.00 RON 4.62

7.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ALL 63.8

$1.00 RON 4.65

-19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$1.01 RON 4.70

-33.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ALL 359

$6.50 RON 30.17

-30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ALL 650

$7.62 RON 35.35

7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ALL 85.7

$1.33 RON 6.19

-18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ALL 149

$1.78 RON 8.25

5.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.21

$0.80 RON 3.71

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 ALL 1,614

$31.77 RON 147

-35.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$0.96 RON 4.46

295.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 122

$1.01 RON 4.71

52.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 ALL 1,207

$8.80 RON 40.86

72.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 173

$1.91 RON 8.86

14.14%

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

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

$30.0K RON 139.1K

1.05%

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

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

$26.3K RON 122.1K

16.11%

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

$61.7 ALL 4,890

$164 RON 763

-62.48%

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

$15.59 ALL 1,236

$9.04 RON 41.99

72.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.04 ALL 954

$10.32 RON 47.91

16.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ALL 4,746

$48.47 RON 225

23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

$23.56 RON 109

-26.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ALL 343

$9.86 RON 45.75

-56.09%

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

$147 ALL 11.7K

$618 RON 2,871

-76.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

$10.3K RON 47.7K

-81.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ALL 6,058

$93.0 RON 432

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 ALL 3,635

$47.70 RON 221

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ALL 7,749

$103 RON 479

-5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ALL 7,808

$112 RON 522

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$647 RON 3,001

-52.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$542 RON 2,516

-62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ALL 35.3K

$1,180 RON 5,479

-62.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.7K

$847 RON 3,934

-61.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

$4,823 RON 22.4K

-71.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.9K

$3,511 RON 16.3K

-74.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

$1,333 RON 6,190

-58.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.8

-10.29%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Elbasan and $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 139% 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: $38.00 in Elbasan vs $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $244 per month, with Elbasan 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

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

Elbasan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 139% 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: $306 in Elbasan versus $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Elbasan runs roughly 56% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $147 in Elbasan versus $618 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $909 in Elbasan versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elbasan but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Elbasan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elbasan 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, Elbasan 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 Elbasan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.