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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Targu Mures versus $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Targu Mures versus $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 23% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 21% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.79 RON 39.91

$11.58 RON 52.6

-24.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 RON 185

$57.8 RON 262

-29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 RON 39.86

$8.08 RON 36.66

8.66%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 10.35

$3.53 RON 16.05

-35.41%

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

$1.26 RON 5.72

$2.30 RON 10.44

-45.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.24

$2.13 RON 9.68

-46.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 RON 9.81

$3.28 RON 14.89

-34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.34

$4.02 RON 18.24

-32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.79 RON 8.13

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.51

$1.35 RON 6.12

-10.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.89 RON 8.59

-15.87%

Eggs

$2.98 RON 13.53

$3.26 RON 14.80

-8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 RON 40.26

$10.25 RON 46.52

-13.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 RON 31.36

$7.06 RON 32.07

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 RON 55.9

$12.06 RON 54.8

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$1.18 RON 5.38

-17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.01

$1.72 RON 7.82

-23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$1.63 RON 7.42

-8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.68

$2.42 RON 10.97

-21.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.95 RON 4.32

-8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.02

$0.93 RON 4.24

-4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$1.08 RON 4.91

-26.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.88 RON 4.01

-7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 27.52

$6.56 RON 29.77

-7.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 RON 35.41

$7.76 RON 35.22

0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.74

$1.16 RON 5.25

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.62

$1.96 RON 8.89

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 RON 2.70

$0.67 RON 3.04

-11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.77 RON 67.1

$22.65 RON 103

-34.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$1.00 RON 4.52

-12.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.86 RON 3.92

-17.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 RON 34.06

$9.43 RON 42.82

-20.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.91

$1.70 RON 7.74

-10.59%

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

$27.5K RON 124.8K

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-3.58%

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

$27.9K RON 126.8K

$26.7K RON 121.2K

4.63%

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

$169 RON 766

$156 RON 707

8.34%

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

$8.60 RON 39.05

$9.13 RON 41.44

-5.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 RON 44.96

$9.87 RON 44.81

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 RON 213

$44.65 RON 203

5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 RON 82.7

$20.25 RON 91.9

-10.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.73

$8.27 RON 37.52

-31.44%

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

$1,378 RON 6,254

$481 RON 2,184

186.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,946 RON 31.5K

$10.5K RON 47.6K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 RON 328

$69.5 RON 316

3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.87 RON 149

$40.69 RON 185

-19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 RON 328

$84.5 RON 384

-14.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 RON 371

$99.9 RON 454

-18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,996

$707 RON 3,208

-37.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,415

$564 RON 2,561

-44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,576

$1,261 RON 5,726

-55.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 RON 1,810

$930 RON 4,224

-57.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 RON 10.7K

$4,832 RON 21.9K

-51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,505 RON 6,830

$3,491 RON 15.8K

-56.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 RON 4,840

$1,369 RON 6,216

-22.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

5.85

39.66%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Targu Mures and $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 28% 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: $41.00 in Targu Mures vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $234 per month, with Targu Mures 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

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

Targu Mures is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 28% 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: $440 in Targu Mures versus $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 53% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,378 in Targu Mures versus $481 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.