Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,627 in Targu Jiu versus $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Targu Jiu versus $2,800 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 25% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Jiu is 22% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 RON 60.5

$11.62 RON 50.4

19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 297

$56.4 RON 245

21.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 RON 35.10

$7.91 RON 34.31

2.28%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 14.93

$3.52 RON 15.29

-2.27%

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

$1.17 RON 5.07

$2.40 RON 10.42

-51.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 9.94

$2.20 RON 9.54

4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.14 RON 13.63

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 RON 16.71

$3.94 RON 17.10

-2.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 RON 7.58

$1.80 RON 7.79

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.20

$1.29 RON 5.62

10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.32

$1.88 RON 8.14

2.13%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 13.38

$3.37 RON 14.63

-8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 RON 34.59

$10.21 RON 44.33

-21.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 RON 14.31

$7.27 RON 31.57

-54.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 RON 34.95

$12.10 RON 52.5

-33.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.43

$1.24 RON 5.40

-17.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$1.79 RON 7.77

-8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.41

$1.64 RON 7.11

-23.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.93

$2.40 RON 10.42

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$0.94 RON 4.09

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.17

$0.91 RON 3.96

5.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RON 3.06

$1.03 RON 4.48

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 RON 2.45

$0.95 RON 4.12

-41.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 24.55

$6.55 RON 28.43

-13.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.24 RON 14.06

$7.75 RON 33.65

-58.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.06

$1.12 RON 4.86

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 4.86

$2.05 RON 8.91

-45.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.11

$0.71 RON 3.07

1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 RON 85.4

$22.87 RON 99.2

-13.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.05

$0.99 RON 4.29

-29.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.64

$0.84 RON 3.63

-27.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 RON 30.42

$9.08 RON 39.39

-22.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.25

$1.68 RON 7.29

-0.60%

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

$28.8K RON 125.2K

$28.6K RON 123.9K

1.01%

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

$29.9K RON 129.8K

$26.5K RON 115.2K

12.64%

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

$178 RON 771

$158 RON 685

12.58%

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

$6.41 RON 27.82

$9.15 RON 39.69

-29.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.25 RON 44.49

$10.13 RON 43.97

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.67 RON 181

$43.86 RON 190

-4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.38 RON 84.1

$20.09 RON 87.2

-3.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.38 RON 40.71

$8.10 RON 35.17

15.80%

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

$670 RON 2,906

$479 RON 2,080

39.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 63.0K

$10.6K RON 46.2K

36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 RON 242

$68.8 RON 299

-18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.14 RON 118

$39.64 RON 172

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 RON 247

$83.6 RON 363

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 RON 407

$98.6 RON 428

-4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 RON 1,627

$704 RON 3,056

-46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 RON 1,084

$565 RON 2,451

-55.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 RON 2,287

$1,283 RON 5,569

-58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,911

$930 RON 4,037

-52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 RON 12.1K

$4,717 RON 20.5K

-40.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,404 RON 14.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$565 RON 2,454

$1,404 RON 6,093

-59.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

5.85

21.37%

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

Last update for Targu Jiu: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $375 in Targu Jiu and $704 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 148% 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: $68 in Targu Jiu vs $56 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $236, with Targu Jiu cheaper for home cooking.

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

Targu Jiu vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Jiu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 148% 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: $375 in Targu Jiu versus $704 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Jiu runs roughly 16% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $670 in Targu Jiu versus $479 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Jiu 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, Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.