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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,495 in Lodz versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,201 in Lodz versus $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,907 in Lodz versus $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Lodz is roughly 6% more expensive than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lodz 12% above, Cluj-Napoca 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 zł 41.69

$11.41 RON 52.3

-3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.34 zł 184

$57.8 RON 265

-16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 zł 31.74

$8.14 RON 37.32

2.70%

Cappuccino

$3.62 zł 13.76

$3.39 RON 15.53

6.78%

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

$1.83 zł 6.95

$2.35 RON 10.77

-22.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.46

$2.11 RON 9.66

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 zł 12.62

$3.26 RON 14.97

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 zł 15.13

$4.02 RON 18.45

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 zł 3.91

$1.79 RON 8.22

-42.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 zł 4.72

$1.35 RON 6.18

-8.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 zł 4.45

$1.86 RON 8.55

-37.10%

Eggs

$3.04 zł 11.53

$3.35 RON 15.37

-9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 zł 33.22

$9.69 RON 44.43

-9.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 zł 25.66

$7.06 RON 32.37

-4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 zł 41.48

$11.93 RON 54.7

-8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.37

$1.24 RON 5.71

-7.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.76

$1.72 RON 7.90

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 zł 7.63

$1.64 RON 7.51

22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 zł 10.83

$2.37 RON 10.89

20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.47

$0.95 RON 4.35

-4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 zł 4.52

$0.93 RON 4.25

27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 zł 4.57

$1.09 RON 4.98

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.25

$0.90 RON 4.12

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 zł 19.09

$6.30 RON 28.91

-20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 zł 26.31

$7.65 RON 35.07

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 zł 4.59

$1.17 RON 5.37

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 zł 7.43

$2.03 RON 9.32

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 zł 4.47

$0.71 RON 3.24

66.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.31 zł 176

$23.37 RON 107

98.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 zł 8.44

$0.95 RON 4.34

133.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 zł 1.94

$0.81 RON 3.72

-37.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.53 zł 36.19

$9.56 RON 43.82

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.49

$1.63 RON 7.46

4.91%

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

$33.2K zł 125.9K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

20.13%

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

$29.0K zł 110.2K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

7.10%

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

$335 zł 1,271

$160 RON 733

109.32%

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

$8.44 zł 32.05

$9.06 RON 41.56

-6.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.08 zł 64.9

$10.14 RON 46.49

68.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 zł 163

$44.86 RON 206

-4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.01 zł 98.8

$19.93 RON 91.4

30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 zł 30.66

$7.93 RON 36.38

1.77%

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

$341 zł 1,294

$475 RON 2,178

-28.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,485 zł 36.0K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-11.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 zł 355

$70.0 RON 321

33.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 zł 117

$39.45 RON 181

-21.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 zł 293

$86.4 RON 396

-10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 zł 354

$100 RON 460

-7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 zł 2,367

$714 RON 3,275

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 zł 1,832

$559 RON 2,563

-13.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 zł 4,296

$1,244 RON 5,704

-9.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 zł 3,375

$943 RON 4,324

-5.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,199 zł 12.2K

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-31.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,451 zł 9,308

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-27.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,637 zł 6,219

$1,314 RON 6,026

24.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

5.85

15.90%

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

Last update for Lodz: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Lodz and $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lodz pays 25% 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: $48.00 in Lodz vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $232 per month, with Lodz 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

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

Cluj-Napoca is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Lodz, 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: $623 in Lodz versus $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cluj-Napoca runs roughly 98% less than in Lodz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $341 in Lodz versus $475 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,495 in Lodz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cluj-Napoca but tight or insufficient in Lodz. The gap between the two cities makes Cluj-Napoca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cluj-Napoca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lodz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lodz 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 Cluj-Napoca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Lodz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.