Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Cluj-Napoca

For one person, living is cheaper in Satu Mare: $930 a month against $1,413 in Cluj-Napoca, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Satu Mare
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Satu Mare Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Cluj-Napoca
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Cluj-Napoca Living Index

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Satu Mare

🇷🇴 Romania

$930

/mo nomad

Cluj-Napoca

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,413

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Satu Mare and in Cluj-Napoca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Satu Mare and in Cluj-Napoca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $930 in Satu Mare versus $1,413 in Cluj-Napoca.

Satu Mare $930
Cluj-Napoca $1,413

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Satu Mare versus $2,122 in Cluj-Napoca.

Satu Mare $1,406
Cluj-Napoca $2,122

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Satu Mare versus $2,831 in Cluj-Napoca.

Satu Mare $1,883
Cluj-Napoca $2,831

Living in Satu Mare costs roughly 34% less than in Cluj-Napoca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Satu Mare is 31% below, Cluj-Napoca is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.20 RON 38.81

$12.53 RON 59.3

-34.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.51 RON 154

$54.5 RON 258

-40.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 RON 30.67

$9.73 RON 46.01

-33.40%

Cappuccino

$2.50 RON 11.81

$3.68 RON 17.42

-32.07%

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

$1.49 RON 7.04

$2.31 RON 10.92

-35.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 6.07

$2.31 RON 10.93

-44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 RON 8.87

$3.22 RON 15.24

-41.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 RON 11.55

$4.26 RON 20.14

-42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 RON 5.33

$1.63 RON 7.69

-30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 RON 5.04

$1.43 RON 6.78

-25.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.36

$1.82 RON 8.63

-37.91%

Eggs

$2.69 RON 12.71

$3.82 RON 18.08

-29.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 RON 34.79

$9.16 RON 43.34

-19.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 RON 35.63

$7.08 RON 33.50

6.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 RON 51.2

$11.76 RON 55.7

-7.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 RON 5.19

$1.40 RON 6.64

-21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 RON 6.15

$1.70 RON 8.03

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 RON 6.04

$1.89 RON 8.96

-32.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.75

$2.42 RON 11.43

-40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.61

$0.92 RON 4.36

29.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 RON 6.48

$0.88 RON 4.15

55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.14

$0.97 RON 4.59

-9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.34

$0.97 RON 4.61

-26.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 RON 26.38

$6.21 RON 29.39

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 RON 29.29

$7.54 RON 35.66

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.26 RON 5.96

-2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 8.06

$1.70 RON 8.05

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 RON 2.56

$0.72 RON 3.42

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.41 RON 111

$31.02 RON 147

-24.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 RON 3.79

$0.88 RON 4.17

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 4.03

$0.93 RON 4.40

-8.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 RON 38.34

$8.51 RON 40.26

-4.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.47

$1.92 RON 9.08

-17.71%

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

$22.8K RON 107.9K

$28.9K RON 136.7K

-21.12%

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

$25.3K RON 119.5K

$24.4K RON 115.2K

3.71%

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

$126 RON 597

$156 RON 739

-19.23%

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

$7.14 RON 33.79

$8.74 RON 41.34

-18.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.25 RON 34.30

$9.61 RON 45.46

-24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 RON 197

$46.29 RON 219

-10.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 RON 50.5

$21.98 RON 104

-51.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 RON 29.29

$9.27 RON 43.87

-33.23%

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

$155 RON 733

$587 RON 2,775

-73.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 RON 18.1K

$9,749 RON 46.1K

-60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 RON 282

$90.1 RON 426

-33.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.51 RON 135

$46.13 RON 218

-38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 RON 405

$98.2 RON 465

-12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 RON 328

$110 RON 522

-37.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 RON 1,524

$623 RON 2,950

-48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 RON 1,229

$529 RON 2,502

-50.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 3,060

$1,143 RON 5,407

-43.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 RON 1,938

$820 RON 3,881

-50.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,007 RON 4,765

$4,578 RON 21.7K

-78.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,056 RON 4,995

$3,358 RON 15.9K

-68.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 RON 3,075

$1,261 RON 5,964

-48.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

6.65

6.02%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: October 18, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Satu Mare

$260 27.9%

Cluj-Napoca

$529 37.5% 104% $269

Groceries & Markets

Satu Mare

$195 21%

Cluj-Napoca

$233 16.5% 19.5% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Satu Mare

$141 15.1%

Cluj-Napoca

$175 12.4% 24.2% $34

Eating Out

Satu Mare

$140 15.1%

Cluj-Napoca

$217 15.3% 54.4% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Satu Mare

$109 11.8%

Cluj-Napoca

$155 11% 41.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Satu Mare

$54 5.8%

Cluj-Napoca

$65 4.6% 20.2% $11

Getting Around

Satu Mare

$31 3.3%

Cluj-Napoca

$39 2.8% 28.7% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Satu Mare and $623 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 94% 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: $33.00 in Satu Mare vs $54.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $233 per month, with Satu Mare cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Satu Mare

🇷🇴 Cluj-Napoca

🕒 Local time

01:44 1:44 AM

Same time as Satu Mare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

102,411

324,576

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Satu Mare Cluj-Napoca 130 km

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Satu Mare
Cluj-Napoca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, eating out, and clothing. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 94% 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: $322 in Satu Mare versus $623 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 33% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $155 in Satu Mare versus $587 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $930 in Satu Mare versus $1,413 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 52% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.