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: $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Targu Jiu versus $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,231 in Targu Jiu versus $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 26% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Jiu is 24% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.84 RON 63.4

$11.30 RON 51.7

22.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 RON 310

$56.6 RON 259

19.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 RON 37.19

$8.21 RON 37.59

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$3.32 RON 15.18

$3.47 RON 15.88

-4.32%

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

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.43 RON 11.13

-53.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 RON 11.00

$2.22 RON 10.18

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 RON 15.33

$3.15 RON 14.43

6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RON 18.15

$3.86 RON 17.69

2.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.11

$1.80 RON 8.22

-1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$1.30 RON 5.95

9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.48

$1.82 RON 8.31

1.65%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.83

$3.37 RON 15.43

-10.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 RON 36.47

$10.00 RON 45.80

-20.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 RON 14.46

$7.11 RON 32.57

-55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 RON 35.20

$11.81 RON 54.1

-34.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$1.19 RON 5.47

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.21

$1.78 RON 8.16

-11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.97

$1.62 RON 7.41

-19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.42

$2.37 RON 10.85

-40.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.14

$1.02 RON 4.66

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.48

$0.98 RON 4.51

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 3.02

$1.09 RON 4.97

-39.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 RON 2.74

$0.94 RON 4.31

-36.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 25.92

$6.43 RON 29.43

-11.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.12 RON 14.30

$7.79 RON 35.68

-59.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.17 RON 5.35

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.34

$2.01 RON 9.23

-41.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.21

$0.71 RON 3.24

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 RON 91.4

$23.40 RON 107

-14.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.07

$1.01 RON 4.63

-33.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$0.83 RON 3.81

-26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 RON 30.83

$9.57 RON 43.83

-29.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.66 RON 7.59

1.81%

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

$29.2K RON 133.6K

$28.1K RON 128.6K

3.90%

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

$30.7K RON 140.6K

$26.1K RON 119.3K

17.81%

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

$178 RON 814

$161 RON 738

10.33%

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

$6.63 RON 30.35

$8.89 RON 40.70

-25.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.75

$10.08 RON 46.16

1.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 RON 187

$43.69 RON 200

-6.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.42 RON 88.9

$19.88 RON 91.0

-2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 RON 42.25

$8.25 RON 37.77

11.88%

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

$657 RON 3,009

$476 RON 2,177

38.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K RON 67.6K

$10.9K RON 49.7K

35.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 RON 248

$70.7 RON 324

-23.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.00 RON 128

$40.96 RON 188

-31.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.3 RON 262

$86.0 RON 394

-33.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 RON 430

$101 RON 461

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,721

$710 RON 3,250

-47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 RON 1,167

$549 RON 2,514

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 RON 2,385

$1,251 RON 5,729

-58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,980

$928 RON 4,250

-53.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,646 RON 12.1K

$4,801 RON 22.0K

-44.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,422 RON 15.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 RON 2,535

$1,359 RON 6,223

-59.26%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Targu Jiu and $710 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 145% 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: $68.0 in Targu Jiu vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $169 vs $234, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 145% 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: $376 in Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu 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 $657 in Targu Jiu versus $476 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,373 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 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.