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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Sibiu versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in Sibiu versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Sibiu costs roughly 21% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibiu is 14% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RON 39.48

$13.28 RON 60.0

-34.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.54 RON 197

$57.0 RON 257

-23.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 35.89

$10.13 RON 45.74

-21.52%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.75

$3.92 RON 17.69

-16.58%

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

$2.16 RON 9.75

$2.54 RON 11.47

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RON 8.54

$2.39 RON 10.79

-20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.28

$3.24 RON 14.63

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 RON 17.94

$4.36 RON 19.71

-8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 RON 6.56

$1.74 RON 7.85

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.38

$1.57 RON 7.07

-24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.55

$1.90 RON 8.60

-23.68%

Eggs

$3.68 RON 16.62

$3.99 RON 18.04

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 RON 38.49

$9.70 RON 43.81

-12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$7.75 RON 35.00

-17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 RON 37.13

$12.36 RON 55.8

-33.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.51 RON 6.83

-19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.06

$1.81 RON 8.17

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$2.01 RON 9.10

-24.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 RON 12.33

$2.63 RON 11.89

3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$1.00 RON 4.54

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.06

$1.00 RON 4.53

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.98 RON 4.42

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$1.07 RON 4.82

-14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 RON 28.13

$6.74 RON 30.42

-7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 RON 35.47

$7.76 RON 35.05

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.28

$1.29 RON 5.82

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 RON 6.64

$1.80 RON 8.13

-18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.78 RON 3.53

1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 RON 81.6

$31.80 RON 144

-43.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.97 RON 4.38

3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.01 RON 4.57

-10.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 RON 39.01

$9.00 RON 40.67

-4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.35

$1.91 RON 8.65

-3.14%

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

$30.1K RON 135.9K

$30.2K RON 136.3K

-0.35%

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

$26.6K RON 120.0K

$26.4K RON 119.3K

0.65%

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

$119 RON 540

$168 RON 757

-28.67%

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

$9.48 RON 42.80

$8.78 RON 39.67

7.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.69 RON 57.3

$10.41 RON 47.00

21.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 RON 165

$48.20 RON 218

-24.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 RON 66.3

$23.92 RON 108

-38.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 RON 32.15

$10.15 RON 45.84

-29.85%

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

$455 RON 2,055

$613 RON 2,770

-25.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.4K

$10.1K RON 45.7K

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$92.4 RON 418

-13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.09 RON 154

$47.93 RON 217

-28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 RON 417

$105 RON 473

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 RON 418

$112 RON 508

-17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 RON 2,071

$665 RON 3,004

-31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,947

$548 RON 2,474

-21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 RON 3,880

$1,212 RON 5,475

-29.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 RON 2,848

$858 RON 3,877

-26.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,524 RON 11.4K

$4,765 RON 21.5K

-47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 RON 9,709

$3,587 RON 16.2K

-40.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,161 RON 5,245

$1,365 RON 6,165

-14.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.02

6.8

3.24%

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

Last update for Sibiu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $458 in Sibiu and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 18% 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: $44.00 in Sibiu vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $248 per month, with Sibiu 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

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

Sibiu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $458 in Sibiu 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 Sibiu runs roughly 76% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $455 in Sibiu versus $613 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sibiu 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, Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.