Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Satu Mare versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Satu Mare versus $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,962 in Satu Mare versus $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Satu Mare costs roughly 32% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Satu Mare is 29% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 RON 40.57

$11.53 RON 52.1

-22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.81 RON 212

$58.1 RON 263

-19.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.41

$8.21 RON 37.10

-18.03%

Cappuccino

$2.44 RON 11.04

$3.37 RON 15.25

-27.60%

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

$1.72 RON 7.79

$2.42 RON 10.93

-28.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 RON 6.60

$2.19 RON 9.90

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 RON 9.08

$3.25 RON 14.70

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.28

$3.90 RON 17.61

-41.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.74 RON 7.85

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RON 5.12

$1.33 RON 6.03

-15.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.72

$1.84 RON 8.31

-30.98%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 13.95

$3.24 RON 14.64

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 RON 37.48

$10.15 RON 45.88

-18.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 RON 28.56

$6.89 RON 31.15

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 RON 51.4

$12.08 RON 54.6

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.91

$1.23 RON 5.57

-11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.77

$1.73 RON 7.81

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.55 RON 7.02

-9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.08

$2.33 RON 10.51

-23.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$1.02 RON 4.60

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$0.97 RON 4.38

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.01

$1.04 RON 4.70

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.48

$0.88 RON 3.98

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 25.82

$6.53 RON 29.52

-12.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 RON 29.26

$7.94 RON 35.87

-18.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.64

$1.13 RON 5.10

10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.56

$2.05 RON 9.26

-18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 RON 2.68

$0.70 RON 3.18

-15.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.41 RON 115

$23.33 RON 105

8.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 RON 3.74

$1.00 RON 4.52

-17.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.94

$0.89 RON 4.02

-2.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 RON 33.08

$9.45 RON 42.70

-22.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.00

$1.69 RON 7.63

-8.28%

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

$25.1K RON 113.7K

$28.4K RON 128.6K

-11.61%

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

$25.4K RON 115.0K

$27.1K RON 122.3K

-6.01%

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

$137 RON 621

$161 RON 730

-14.93%

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

$8.00 RON 36.14

$9.19 RON 41.52

-12.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.30 RON 42.06

$9.66 RON 43.65

-3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.87 RON 221

$44.75 RON 202

9.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.66 RON 52.7

$19.86 RON 89.8

-41.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 RON 30.70

$8.25 RON 37.30

-17.70%

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

$187 RON 844

$491 RON 2,220

-61.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 46.3K

$10.8K RON 49.0K

-5.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 RON 297

$70.9 RON 320

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.23 RON 137

$39.43 RON 178

-23.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 367

$84.2 RON 380

-3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 RON 346

$99.5 RON 450

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 RON 1,374

$692 RON 3,129

-56.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 RON 1,069

$550 RON 2,485

-56.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 RON 2,469

$1,244 RON 5,625

-56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 RON 1,574

$923 RON 4,174

-62.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,057 RON 4,776

$4,494 RON 20.3K

-76.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 RON 5,048

$3,328 RON 15.0K

-66.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 RON 3,115

$1,378 RON 6,231

-50.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.85

13.85%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Satu Mare and $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 100% 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: $47.00 in Satu Mare vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $232 per month, with Satu Mare 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

Satu Mare vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 100% 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: $304 in Satu Mare versus $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Satu Mare runs roughly 9% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $187 in Satu Mare versus $491 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Satu Mare versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Satu Mare 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, Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.