Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 17% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, Cluj-Napoca is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$12.94 RON 59.4

-12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$56.1 RON 258

-31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$9.60 RON 44.05

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$3.89 RON 17.84

-12.34%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$2.51 RON 11.54

-58.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$2.47 RON 11.32

-74.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$3.31 RON 15.21

-21.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$4.50 RON 20.65

-28.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.69 RON 7.73

28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.53 RON 7.01

-51.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.91 RON 8.76

-10.47%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$3.87 RON 17.77

-26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$9.87 RON 45.26

-6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$7.54 RON 34.62

-10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$11.94 RON 54.8

6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.51 RON 6.95

8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.77 RON 8.14

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.93 RON 8.85

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$2.64 RON 12.13

-7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.94 RON 4.29

-7.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.00 RON 4.57

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.00 RON 4.60

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.01 RON 4.65

-26.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$6.50 RON 29.83

-47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$7.62 RON 34.94

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.33 RON 6.11

27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.78 RON 8.15

33.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.80 RON 3.67

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$31.77 RON 146

-52.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.96 RON 4.41

22.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.01 RON 4.66

-24.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$8.80 RON 40.39

28.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.91 RON 8.75

-30.37%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$30.0K RON 137.5K

-17.51%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$26.3K RON 120.7K

-16.25%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$164 RON 755

-45.97%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$9.04 RON 41.50

47.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$10.32 RON 47.36

94.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$48.47 RON 222

41.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$23.56 RON 108

-23.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$9.86 RON 45.22

-31.85%

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

$374 ₾971

$618 RON 2,838

-39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$10.3K RON 47.1K

4.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$93.0 RON 427

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$47.70 RON 219

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$103 RON 473

13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$112 RON 516

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$647 RON 2,967

5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$542 RON 2,486

-15.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$1,180 RON 5,416

10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$847 RON 3,888

6.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$4,823 RON 22.1K

-49.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$3,511 RON 16.1K

-58.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$1,333 RON 6,118

-51.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.8

85.59%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 104% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $244 per month, with Tbilisi 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

Tbilisi vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 104% 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 108% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $618 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi 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, Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.