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: $917 in Lugoj versus $1,473 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Lugoj versus $2,269 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,916 in Lugoj versus $3,065 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Lugoj costs roughly 38% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lugoj is 32% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 RON 43.89

$13.28 RON 60.5

-27.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.47 RON 161

$57.1 RON 260

-37.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 RON 25.16

$9.64 RON 43.90

-42.63%

Cappuccino

$1.82 RON 8.27

$3.67 RON 16.72

-50.41%

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

$1.61 RON 7.33

$2.55 RON 11.59

-36.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RON 6.96

$2.46 RON 11.19

-37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.72

$3.31 RON 15.07

-35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RON 9.30

$4.47 RON 20.34

-54.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.83

$1.67 RON 7.59

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$1.52 RON 6.94

-34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.10

$1.92 RON 8.76

-64.58%

Eggs

$1.36 RON 6.19

$3.66 RON 16.65

-62.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 RON 15.86

$9.51 RON 43.31

-63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 RON 19.47

$7.53 RON 34.28

-43.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 RON 20.07

$12.22 RON 55.6

-63.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.09

$1.48 RON 6.74

-24.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.16

$1.78 RON 8.10

-24.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.89 RON 8.62

-6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.14

$2.59 RON 11.79

-73.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.15

$0.99 RON 4.53

-30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.11

$0.98 RON 4.46

-30.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 RON 4.64

$1.05 RON 4.79

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RON 3.13

$1.06 RON 4.82

-34.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 RON 22.77

$6.78 RON 30.85

-26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 RON 20.38

$7.63 RON 34.73

-41.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.18

$1.79 RON 8.13

0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.78 RON 3.57

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.16 RON 96.3

$32.57 RON 148

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.33

$0.98 RON 4.44

-3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$0.98 RON 4.46

-3.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 RON 39.58

$8.95 RON 40.76

-2.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.91 RON 8.69

-0.52%

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

$29.4K RON 133.9K

$29.0K RON 131.8K

1.60%

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

$25.7K RON 117.0K

$25.8K RON 117.4K

-0.30%

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

$55.0 RON 250

$171 RON 779

-67.88%

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

$8.69 RON 39.58

$8.25 RON 37.57

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.53 RON 43.37

$9.62 RON 43.78

-0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.63 RON 185

$47.91 RON 218

-15.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.27 RON 101

$23.47 RON 107

-5.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 RON 44.83

$9.94 RON 45.25

-0.91%

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

$611 RON 2,780

$601 RON 2,734

1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,972 RON 45.4K

$9,960 RON 45.3K

0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 RON 429

$93.9 RON 427

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.73 RON 222

$48.76 RON 222

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 469

$106 RON 482

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 RON 509

$113 RON 516

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 RON 872

$688 RON 3,130

-72.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 RON 1,371

$567 RON 2,581

-46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 RON 2,877

$1,185 RON 5,393

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 RON 2,149

$915 RON 4,167

-48.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,745 RON 7,944

$4,793 RON 21.8K

-63.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 RON 5,680

$3,505 RON 16.0K

-64.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$957 RON 4,355

$1,307 RON 5,948

-26.78%

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: August 3, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Lugoj and $688 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 37% 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 $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $243 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 Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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 $688 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 54% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Lugoj versus $601 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $917 in Lugoj versus $1,473 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 61% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.