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 $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Targu Mures versus $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Targu Mures versus $2,854 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 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.46 RON 38.78

$11.30 RON 51.8

-25.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.85 RON 183

$56.6 RON 260

-29.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 RON 40.30

$8.21 RON 37.65

7.06%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 10.05

$3.47 RON 15.91

-36.89%

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

$1.32 RON 6.03

$2.43 RON 11.14

-45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.26

$2.22 RON 10.20

-48.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$3.15 RON 14.45

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.75

$3.86 RON 17.71

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.80 RON 8.23

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.30 RON 5.96

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.82 RON 8.32

-12.64%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.40

$3.37 RON 15.45

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 RON 39.78

$10.00 RON 45.87

-13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.83

$7.11 RON 32.61

-2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 RON 57.9

$11.81 RON 54.2

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$1.19 RON 5.48

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.04

$1.78 RON 8.18

-25.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.97

$1.62 RON 7.42

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$2.37 RON 10.87

-16.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.02 RON 4.66

-10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.28

$0.98 RON 4.51

-5.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$1.09 RON 4.98

-28.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.94 RON 4.31

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 RON 28.67

$6.43 RON 29.47

-2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 RON 33.89

$7.79 RON 35.73

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$1.17 RON 5.36

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 RON 7.40

$2.01 RON 9.24

-19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.58

$0.71 RON 3.25

-21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.04 RON 68.9

$23.40 RON 107

-35.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$1.01 RON 4.63

-10.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.83 RON 3.81

-13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 RON 34.47

$9.57 RON 43.89

-21.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.39

$1.66 RON 7.60

-3.01%

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

$27.8K RON 127.6K

$28.1K RON 128.8K

-0.92%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$26.1K RON 119.5K

9.42%

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

$167 RON 765

$161 RON 739

3.54%

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

$8.53 RON 39.09

$8.89 RON 40.76

-4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 46.10

$10.08 RON 46.22

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.19 RON 212

$43.69 RON 200

5.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 84.8

$19.88 RON 91.1

-6.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 RON 26.73

$8.25 RON 37.82

-29.33%

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

$1,378 RON 6,320

$476 RON 2,180

189.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 32.2K

$10.9K RON 49.8K

-35.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 RON 334

$70.7 RON 324

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.90 RON 146

$40.96 RON 188

-22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 RON 339

$86.0 RON 394

-14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 RON 368

$101 RON 462

-20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 2,019

$710 RON 3,255

-37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,445

$549 RON 2,518

-42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,563

$1,251 RON 5,737

-55.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,864

$928 RON 4,256

-56.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 RON 10.5K

$4,801 RON 22.0K

-52.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 RON 6,898

$3,422 RON 15.7K

-56.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 RON 4,869

$1,359 RON 6,232

-21.86%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Targu Mures and $710 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: $40.00 in Targu Mures vs $57.0 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, salaries run 28% 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: $440 in Targu Mures 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 Mures runs roughly 56% 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 $476 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 $1,373 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.