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: $854 in Lugoj versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,283 in Lugoj versus $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,712 in Lugoj versus $2,808 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 36% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 RON 39.22

$11.48 RON 50.1

-21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.29 RON 119

$57.9 RON 253

-52.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 RON 25.61

$8.25 RON 35.98

-28.85%

Cappuccino

$1.17 RON 5.12

$3.53 RON 15.40

-66.86%

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

$1.18 RON 5.16

$2.33 RON 10.16

-49.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 3.96

$2.22 RON 9.67

-59.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 9.87

$3.19 RON 13.92

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 RON 7.10

$3.90 RON 16.98

-58.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.54

$1.72 RON 7.52

-12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 RON 4.13

$1.31 RON 5.70

-27.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 RON 2.96

$1.89 RON 8.26

-64.02%

Eggs

$1.41 RON 6.17

$3.23 RON 14.10

-56.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.75 RON 16.34

$9.79 RON 42.69

-61.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 RON 18.97

$7.15 RON 31.19

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 RON 19.95

$11.97 RON 52.2

-61.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.16

$1.23 RON 5.37

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.97

$1.77 RON 7.72

-22.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.66

$1.62 RON 7.07

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 RON 2.96

$2.37 RON 10.34

-71.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.06

$0.97 RON 4.21

-27.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 2.96

$0.93 RON 4.06

-26.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.44

$1.04 RON 4.52

-24.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.12

$0.87 RON 3.78

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 RON 22.82

$6.51 RON 28.40

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 RON 20.38

$7.79 RON 33.97

-40.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.66

$1.17 RON 5.08

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 7.84

$1.96 RON 8.53

-8.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$0.67 RON 2.93

5.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.47 RON 84.9

$23.34 RON 102

-16.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.64

$1.00 RON 4.36

-39.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.56

$0.82 RON 3.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 29.42

$9.52 RON 41.50

-29.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 6.98

$1.64 RON 7.14

-2.44%

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

$27.7K RON 120.7K

$28.3K RON 123.5K

-2.34%

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

$27.6K RON 120.2K

$26.9K RON 117.1K

2.69%

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

$56.8 RON 247

$158 RON 688

-64.01%

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

$8.14 RON 35.49

$8.92 RON 38.87

-8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.59 RON 50.5

$10.05 RON 43.81

15.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 RON 178

$43.60 RON 190

-6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 RON 82.5

$20.27 RON 88.4

-6.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 RON 28.30

$7.93 RON 34.56

-18.16%

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

$443 RON 1,933

$490 RON 2,136

-9.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,839 RON 38.5K

$10.5K RON 45.8K

-15.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 RON 350

$70.7 RON 308

13.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 RON 161

$40.62 RON 177

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 342

$85.1 RON 371

-7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 RON 377

$99.6 RON 434

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,709

$719 RON 3,135

-45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,288

$558 RON 2,432

-47.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,611

$1,274 RON 5,554

-52.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,934

$951 RON 4,144

-53.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,804 RON 7,865

$4,661 RON 20.3K

-61.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 RON 6,081

$3,361 RON 14.7K

-58.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 RON 4,521

$1,415 RON 6,171

-26.73%

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 Lugoj: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Lugoj and $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 36% 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: $27.00 in Lugoj vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $138 vs $232 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 36% 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: $392 in Lugoj 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 Lugoj runs roughly 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $443 in Lugoj versus $490 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $854 in Lugoj versus $1,375 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.