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: $972 in Roman versus $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Roman versus $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,008 in Roman versus $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Roman costs roughly 29% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 27% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 RON 56.4

$11.30 RON 51.8

8.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.10 RON 124

$56.6 RON 260

-52.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 36.86

$8.21 RON 37.67

-2.19%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.57

$3.47 RON 15.91

-2.31%

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

$1.13 RON 5.17

$2.43 RON 11.15

-53.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.16

$2.22 RON 10.20

-9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.94

$3.15 RON 14.46

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.78

$3.86 RON 17.72

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 7.02

$1.80 RON 8.24

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.30 RON 5.96

-26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.57

$1.82 RON 8.33

-9.34%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.85

$3.37 RON 15.46

-10.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 RON 40.89

$10.00 RON 45.89

-10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 RON 32.65

$7.11 RON 32.63

0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 RON 52.0

$11.81 RON 54.2

-4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$1.19 RON 5.48

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.72

$1.78 RON 8.18

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.00

$1.62 RON 7.42

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 RON 10.25

$2.37 RON 10.87

-5.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.89

$1.02 RON 4.67

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.90

$0.98 RON 4.52

9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$1.09 RON 4.98

-19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.88

$0.94 RON 4.32

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.80

$6.43 RON 29.49

-9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 RON 29.21

$7.79 RON 35.75

-18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.23

$1.17 RON 5.36

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.53

$2.01 RON 9.24

-18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.00 RON 91.8

$23.40 RON 107

-14.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.12

$1.01 RON 4.63

-32.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.81

$0.83 RON 3.81

-26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 RON 31.34

$9.57 RON 43.91

-28.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.55

$1.66 RON 7.60

-1.20%

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

$27.5K RON 126.1K

$28.1K RON 128.9K

-2.15%

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

$27.3K RON 125.3K

$26.1K RON 119.6K

4.76%

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

$93.1 RON 427

$161 RON 739

-42.25%

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

$3.50 RON 16.08

$8.89 RON 40.78

-60.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.70 RON 26.13

$10.08 RON 46.25

-43.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 RON 192

$43.69 RON 200

-4.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.16 RON 87.9

$19.88 RON 91.2

-3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 RON 50.1

$8.25 RON 37.84

32.24%

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

$321 RON 1,472

$476 RON 2,181

-32.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,502 RON 29.8K

$10.9K RON 49.8K

-40.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 RON 302

$70.7 RON 324

-6.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 RON 80.0

$40.96 RON 188

-57.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 RON 448

$86.0 RON 395

13.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.28 RON 157

$101 RON 462

-65.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,804

$710 RON 3,256

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,341

$549 RON 2,519

-46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,725

$1,251 RON 5,740

-52.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 RON 2,016

$928 RON 4,258

-52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,727 RON 7,921

$4,801 RON 22.0K

-64.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 RON 6,453

$3,422 RON 15.7K

-58.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 RON 3,867

$1,359 RON 6,235

-37.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

5.85

31.62%

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

Last update for Roman: July 19, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Roman and $710 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 61% 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 Roman vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $234 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 61% 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: $393 in Roman versus $710 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 17% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $321 in Roman versus $476 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $972 in Roman versus $1,373 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 41% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.