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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Ploiesti versus $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,633 in Ploiesti versus $2,124 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,160 in Ploiesti versus $2,887 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Ploiesti costs roughly 19% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ploiesti is 17% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.66 RON 43.91

$11.38 RON 51.7

-15.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.57 RON 194

$57.6 RON 262

-26.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 RON 35.33

$7.94 RON 36.09

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.60 RON 11.82

$3.53 RON 16.06

-26.35%

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

$1.90 RON 8.63

$2.37 RON 10.79

-19.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.65

$2.12 RON 9.65

-10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.23

$3.13 RON 14.23

-28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$4.02 RON 18.27

-16.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.34

$1.77 RON 8.05

-21.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 RON 4.78

$1.31 RON 5.94

-19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.03

$1.81 RON 8.25

-2.21%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.63

$3.34 RON 15.17

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 RON 40.00

$9.83 RON 44.70

-10.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.40

$7.27 RON 33.06

-1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 RON 41.95

$12.00 RON 54.5

-23.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.31

$1.23 RON 5.59

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.77 RON 8.05

-16.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.84

$1.56 RON 7.09

-17.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.61

$2.36 RON 10.74

-19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.46

$0.94 RON 4.29

-19.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.07

$0.97 RON 4.41

-8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$1.09 RON 4.96

-35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.92 RON 4.19

-11.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 RON 26.24

$6.44 RON 29.27

-10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 RON 31.87

$7.54 RON 34.27

-7.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.17 RON 5.31

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 RON 6.55

$1.96 RON 8.91

-26.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 RON 2.76

$0.67 RON 3.04

-8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 RON 89.4

$23.24 RON 106

-15.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.99 RON 4.49

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$0.82 RON 3.73

-20.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 RON 26.25

$9.11 RON 41.43

-36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.06

$1.69 RON 7.66

-8.28%

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

$24.5K RON 111.6K

$28.4K RON 129.3K

-13.67%

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

$27.2K RON 123.7K

$27.0K RON 122.9K

0.66%

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

$146 RON 665

$158 RON 720

-7.63%

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

$8.52 RON 38.73

$8.72 RON 39.66

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 RON 45.93

$9.91 RON 45.08

1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 RON 236

$43.33 RON 197

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 RON 92.0

$20.21 RON 91.9

0.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 RON 30.99

$7.86 RON 35.75

-13.23%

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

$419 RON 1,906

$492 RON 2,239

-14.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,861 RON 31.2K

$10.5K RON 47.7K

-34.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.7 RON 372

$70.0 RON 318

16.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 RON 190

$41.01 RON 186

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 RON 333

$84.2 RON 383

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 RON 451

$101 RON 460

-2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 RON 2,419

$712 RON 3,236

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 RON 1,523

$548 RON 2,491

-38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 RON 3,443

$1,267 RON 5,762

-40.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,125

$940 RON 4,275

-50.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 8,983

$4,857 RON 22.1K

-59.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 RON 5,869

$3,404 RON 15.5K

-62.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 RON 4,589

$1,325 RON 6,024

-23.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.85

13.16%

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

Last update for Ploiesti: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $532 in Ploiesti and $712 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 31% 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: $43.00 in Ploiesti vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $233 per month, with Ploiesti 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

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

Ploiesti is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% 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: $532 in Ploiesti versus $712 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ploiesti runs roughly 18% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $419 in Ploiesti versus $492 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,106 in Ploiesti versus $1,361 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ploiesti but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Ploiesti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ploiesti 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, Ploiesti 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 Ploiesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.