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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Roman versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Roman versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Roman versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Roman costs roughly 37% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 31% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.32 RON 55.7

$13.28 RON 60.0

-7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 RON 159

$57.0 RON 257

-38.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 RON 34.14

$10.13 RON 45.75

-25.37%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.22

$3.92 RON 17.69

-30.87%

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

$1.41 RON 6.35

$2.54 RON 11.47

-44.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.85

$2.39 RON 10.79

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.59

$3.24 RON 14.63

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RON 10.69

$4.36 RON 19.72

-45.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$1.74 RON 7.85

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$1.57 RON 7.07

-42.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.90 RON 8.60

-23.68%

Eggs

$2.95 RON 13.33

$3.99 RON 18.05

-26.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 RON 41.76

$9.70 RON 43.82

-4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 30.62

$7.75 RON 35.01

-12.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 RON 46.25

$12.36 RON 55.8

-17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.08

$1.51 RON 6.83

-25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.81 RON 8.17

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.48

$2.01 RON 9.10

-28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.51

$2.63 RON 11.89

-11.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$1.00 RON 4.54

-28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.16

$1.00 RON 4.53

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.16

$0.98 RON 4.42

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$1.07 RON 4.83

-20.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 RON 26.59

$6.74 RON 30.43

-12.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 RON 30.65

$7.76 RON 35.06

-12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.45

$1.29 RON 5.82

-6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.80 RON 8.14

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$0.78 RON 3.53

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.45 RON 110

$31.80 RON 144

-23.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.97 RON 4.38

-34.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$1.01 RON 4.57

-33.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.32

$9.00 RON 40.68

-23.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.37

$1.91 RON 8.65

-3.14%

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

$30.0K RON 135.6K

$30.2K RON 136.4K

-0.54%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$26.4K RON 119.3K

4.47%

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

$189 RON 852

$168 RON 757

12.63%

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

$7.34 RON 33.18

$8.78 RON 39.68

-16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.72 RON 39.41

$10.41 RON 47.01

-16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 RON 184

$48.20 RON 218

-15.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.97 RON 108

$23.92 RON 108

0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 RON 44.68

$10.15 RON 45.85

-2.56%

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

$311 RON 1,403

$613 RON 2,771

-49.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,173 RON 32.4K

$10.1K RON 45.7K

-29.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 RON 248

$92.4 RON 418

-40.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 RON 123

$47.93 RON 217

-43.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 355

$105 RON 473

-24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 RON 271

$112 RON 508

-46.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 RON 1,008

$665 RON 3,004

-66.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 RON 736

$548 RON 2,474

-70.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 RON 2,900

$1,212 RON 5,477

-47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 RON 2,114

$858 RON 3,878

-45.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,193 RON 9,906

$4,765 RON 21.5K

-53.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 RON 7,242

$3,587 RON 16.2K

-55.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$859 RON 3,879

$1,365 RON 6,167

-37.11%

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 Roman: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Roman and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 59% 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 Roman vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $248 per month, with Roman 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

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

Roman is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 59% 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: $223 in Roman versus $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Roman runs roughly 30% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $311 in Roman versus $613 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Roman versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Roman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Roman 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, Roman 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 Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.