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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $827 in Lugoj versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,272 in Lugoj versus $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,717 in Lugoj versus $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Lugoj costs roughly 45% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lugoj is 40% below, Cluj-Napoca is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 RON 46.45

$12.94 RON 59.3

-21.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 RON 161

$56.1 RON 257

-37.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 RON 24.49

$9.60 RON 43.98

-44.27%

Cappuccino

$1.93 RON 8.82

$3.89 RON 17.81

-50.39%

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

$1.63 RON 7.48

$2.51 RON 11.52

-35.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 RON 6.86

$2.47 RON 11.31

-39.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 RON 10.01

$3.31 RON 15.19

-34.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.72

$4.50 RON 20.62

-52.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 RON 8.00

$1.69 RON 7.72

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 RON 4.46

$1.53 RON 7.00

-36.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 RON 2.96

$1.91 RON 8.75

-65.97%

Eggs

$1.35 RON 6.17

$3.87 RON 17.74

-65.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.59 RON 16.44

$9.87 RON 45.19

-63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 RON 18.60

$7.54 RON 34.56

-46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 RON 20.44

$11.94 RON 54.7

-62.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$1.51 RON 6.93

-28.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.14

$1.77 RON 8.13

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.23

$1.93 RON 8.84

-6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 RON 2.95

$2.64 RON 12.11

-75.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 RON 2.93

$0.94 RON 4.28

-31.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.12

$1.00 RON 4.56

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.62

$1.00 RON 4.59

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RON 2.97

$1.01 RON 4.64

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 RON 23.32

$6.50 RON 29.78

-21.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.30 RON 19.70

$7.62 RON 34.89

-43.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$1.33 RON 6.11

0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 RON 8.27

$1.78 RON 8.14

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.80 RON 3.67

-21.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.13 RON 101

$31.77 RON 146

-30.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.40

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 RON 4.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.38

$8.80 RON 40.32

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$1.91 RON 8.74

3.14%

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

$29.8K RON 136.5K

$30.0K RON 137.3K

-0.61%

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

$25.6K RON 117.4K

$26.3K RON 120.5K

-2.53%

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

$53.9 RON 247

$164 RON 753

-67.25%

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

$8.69 RON 39.82

$9.04 RON 41.43

-3.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 RON 46.25

$10.32 RON 47.28

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.04 RON 101

$48.47 RON 222

-54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.58 RON 122

$23.56 RON 108

12.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 RON 45.19

$9.86 RON 45.15

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

$618 RON 2,831

$618 RON 2,833

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.4K

$10.3K RON 47.1K

-1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 RON 434

$93.0 RON 426

1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 RON 219

$47.70 RON 219

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 RON 482

$103 RON 472

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 RON 516

$112 RON 515

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 RON 877

$647 RON 2,962

-70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 RON 1,013

$542 RON 2,483

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 RON 1,529

$1,180 RON 5,407

-71.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 RON 1,502

$847 RON 3,882

-61.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 RON 6,281

$4,823 RON 22.1K

-71.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,082 RON 4,955

$3,511 RON 16.1K

-69.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 RON 4,398

$1,333 RON 6,108

-28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

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

Last update for Lugoj: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Lugoj and $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 39% 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: $35.00 in Lugoj vs $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $244 per month, with Lugoj 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

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

Lugoj is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $191 in Lugoj 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 Lugoj runs roughly 44% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

At $827 in Lugoj versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lugoj but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Lugoj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lugoj 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, Lugoj 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 Lugoj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.