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: $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Targu Jiu versus $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Targu Jiu versus $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 30% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Jiu is 25% below, Cluj-Napoca is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 RON 64.6

$13.48 RON 61.0

5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 RON 279

$57.1 RON 259

7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.15

$10.07 RON 45.59

-25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.23

$3.92 RON 17.74

-8.67%

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

$1.13 RON 5.12

$2.47 RON 11.21

-54.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.70

$2.47 RON 11.17

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 RON 17.53

$3.36 RON 15.23

15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 RON 20.61

$4.46 RON 20.21

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.74 RON 7.87

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.41

$1.59 RON 7.21

-10.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.86 RON 8.41

-7.53%

Eggs

$2.88 RON 13.02

$3.90 RON 17.67

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 RON 36.06

$9.69 RON 43.87

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 RON 13.88

$7.78 RON 35.26

-60.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 RON 34.33

$12.11 RON 54.8

-37.41%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$1.49 RON 6.73

-33.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.79 RON 8.11

-11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.48

$1.96 RON 8.90

-38.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.90

$2.57 RON 11.65

-49.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.71

$1.00 RON 4.53

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$1.05 RON 4.75

-27.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 3.09

$1.03 RON 4.69

-33.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 RON 2.43

$1.03 RON 4.68

-47.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 RON 24.65

$6.76 RON 30.60

-19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.09 RON 13.98

$7.54 RON 34.16

-59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$1.29 RON 5.83

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.09

$1.86 RON 8.42

-39.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RON 3.70

$0.79 RON 3.60

3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.14 RON 91.2

$32.36 RON 147

-37.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.92 RON 4.15

-27.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.13

$0.98 RON 4.42

-29.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 RON 30.34

$9.12 RON 41.30

-26.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.91 RON 8.63

-17.28%

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

$30.1K RON 136.5K

$29.3K RON 132.8K

2.79%

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

$28.4K RON 128.4K

$26.1K RON 118.4K

8.47%

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

$201 RON 909

$165 RON 745

21.92%

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

$6.28 RON 28.43

$8.94 RON 40.48

-29.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.92 RON 44.92

$10.16 RON 46.02

-2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 RON 180

$49.99 RON 226

-20.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 RON 89.2

$23.35 RON 106

-15.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.98

$9.93 RON 44.99

-11.08%

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

$648 RON 2,934

$624 RON 2,827

3.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 RON 32.5K

$10.0K RON 45.3K

-28.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 RON 242

$93.8 RON 425

-43.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 RON 119

$49.38 RON 224

-46.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 RON 246

$103 RON 468

-47.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 RON 395

$117 RON 530

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,630

$677 RON 3,065

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 RON 1,131

$557 RON 2,524

-55.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 RON 2,267

$1,195 RON 5,413

-58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 RON 1,888

$844 RON 3,824

-50.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 RON 8,679

$4,864 RON 22.0K

-60.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,268 RON 5,741

$3,549 RON 16.1K

-64.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 RON 2,515

$1,340 RON 6,070

-58.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.8

0.29%

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

Last update for Targu Jiu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Targu Jiu and $677 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 141% 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: $62.0 in Targu Jiu vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $246, 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 141% 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: $360 in Targu Jiu versus $677 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 61% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $648 in Targu Jiu versus $624 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,488 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 44% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.