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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Medias versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Medias versus $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,429 in Medias versus $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Medias costs roughly 22% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medias is 14% below, Cluj-Napoca is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.36 RON 56.6

$12.94 RON 59.3

-4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 RON 252

$56.1 RON 257

-2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 36.43

$9.60 RON 43.98

-17.19%

Cappuccino

$3.80 RON 17.40

$3.89 RON 17.81

-2.31%

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

$2.57 RON 11.77

$2.51 RON 11.52

2.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.80

$2.47 RON 11.31

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.92

$3.31 RON 15.19

-1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.52

$4.50 RON 20.62

-19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 RON 5.99

$1.69 RON 7.72

-22.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 RON 6.98

$1.53 RON 7.00

-0.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.20

$1.91 RON 8.75

-6.28%

Eggs

$3.60 RON 16.50

$3.87 RON 17.74

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 RON 42.14

$9.87 RON 45.19

-6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 RON 33.83

$7.54 RON 34.56

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 RON 61.1

$11.94 RON 54.7

11.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.15

$1.51 RON 6.93

3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.22

$1.77 RON 8.13

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.64

$1.93 RON 8.84

-13.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 RON 13.04

$2.64 RON 12.11

7.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.94 RON 4.28

-13.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$1.00 RON 4.56

-11.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.00 RON 4.59

-6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$1.01 RON 4.64

-15.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 RON 30.18

$6.50 RON 29.78

1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 RON 35.18

$7.62 RON 34.89

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.82

$1.33 RON 6.11

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.14

$1.78 RON 8.14

12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.45

$0.80 RON 3.67

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 RON 103

$31.77 RON 146

-29.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.08

$0.96 RON 4.40

-30.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.01 RON 4.65

-29.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.83

$8.80 RON 40.32

-21.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.91 RON 8.74

-25.13%

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

$29.8K RON 136.3K

$30.0K RON 137.3K

-0.70%

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

$27.0K RON 123.7K

$26.3K RON 120.5K

2.66%

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

$189 RON 865

$164 RON 753

14.76%

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

$8.31 RON 38.05

$9.04 RON 41.43

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.69 RON 44.37

$10.32 RON 47.28

-6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 RON 180

$48.47 RON 222

-18.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 RON 98.3

$23.56 RON 108

-8.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 31.00

$9.86 RON 45.15

-31.34%

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

$464 RON 2,126

$618 RON 2,833

-24.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,274 RON 33.3K

$10.3K RON 47.1K

-29.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 RON 246

$93.0 RON 426

-42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 RON 169

$47.70 RON 219

-22.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 RON 357

$103 RON 472

-24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 436

$112 RON 515

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 RON 1,817

$647 RON 2,962

-38.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,352

$542 RON 2,483

-45.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 RON 2,921

$1,180 RON 5,407

-45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RON 2,158

$847 RON 3,882

-44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,908 RON 8,741

$4,823 RON 22.1K

-60.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,377 RON 6,309

$3,511 RON 16.1K

-60.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 RON 6,108

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.8

5.88%

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

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $397 in Medias and $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Medias vs $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $244 per month, with Medias 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

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

Medias is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,762 in Medias and $2,252 in Cluj-Napoca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $397 in Medias 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 Medias runs roughly 42% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $464 in Medias versus $618 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,174 in Medias versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Medias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medias 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, Medias 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 Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.