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: $1,027 in Targu Jiu versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Targu Jiu versus $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,255 in Targu Jiu versus $2,860 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 23% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.95 RON 63.4

$11.53 RON 52.4

20.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 310

$58.1 RON 264

17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 RON 36.41

$8.21 RON 37.31

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$3.35 RON 15.25

$3.37 RON 15.33

-0.59%

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

$1.13 RON 5.13

$2.42 RON 10.99

-53.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 RON 10.91

$2.19 RON 9.96

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 RON 16.02

$3.25 RON 14.79

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.56

$3.90 RON 17.71

-1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.89

$1.74 RON 7.89

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.24

$1.33 RON 6.06

3.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.70

$1.84 RON 8.36

3.80%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.67

$3.24 RON 14.72

-7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 RON 36.03

$10.15 RON 46.13

-21.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 RON 14.42

$6.89 RON 31.33

-53.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 RON 36.28

$12.08 RON 54.9

-33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$1.23 RON 5.60

-17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.44

$1.73 RON 7.86

-5.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.55 RON 7.06

-18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.11

$2.33 RON 10.57

-42.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.02 RON 4.62

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$0.97 RON 4.41

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$1.04 RON 4.72

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 RON 2.69

$0.88 RON 4.01

-32.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.60 RON 25.48

$6.53 RON 29.69

-14.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.03 RON 13.76

$7.94 RON 36.08

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$1.13 RON 5.13

-15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.05 RON 9.32

-44.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.70 RON 3.20

-4.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 RON 91.7

$23.33 RON 106

-13.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.00 RON 4.55

-28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.79

$0.89 RON 4.05

-31.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 RON 31.12

$9.45 RON 42.94

-27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.65

$1.69 RON 7.68

-0.59%

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

$28.8K RON 131.1K

$28.4K RON 129.3K

1.41%

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

$30.8K RON 139.9K

$27.1K RON 123.0K

13.71%

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

$179 RON 813

$161 RON 734

10.82%

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

$6.43 RON 29.24

$9.19 RON 41.76

-30.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 RON 47.70

$9.66 RON 43.89

8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.16 RON 187

$44.75 RON 203

-8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 RON 88.4

$19.86 RON 90.3

-2.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 RON 42.21

$8.25 RON 37.51

12.61%

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

$656 RON 2,982

$491 RON 2,232

33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 66.2K

$10.8K RON 49.2K

34.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 RON 252

$70.9 RON 322

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.14 RON 128

$39.43 RON 179

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.0 RON 259

$84.2 RON 383

-32.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 RON 417

$99.5 RON 452

-7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 RON 1,702

$692 RON 3,147

-45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 RON 1,164

$550 RON 2,499

-53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 RON 2,374

$1,244 RON 5,656

-58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,966

$923 RON 4,197

-53.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 RON 12.0K

$4,494 RON 20.4K

-41.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 RON 2,474

$1,378 RON 6,266

-60.51%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $374 in Targu Jiu and $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 153% 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 $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $232, 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, Cluj-Napoca earns 153% 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: $374 in Targu Jiu versus $692 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 $656 in Targu Jiu versus $491 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,027 in Targu Jiu versus $1,387 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.