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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,214 in Timisoara versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Timisoara versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,523 in Timisoara versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Timisoara costs roughly 19% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Timisoara is 12% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 RON 49.46

$13.28 RON 60.2

-17.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 RON 219

$57.0 RON 258

-15.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 RON 39.26

$10.13 RON 45.93

-14.51%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RON 14.43

$3.92 RON 17.76

-18.88%

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

$2.16 RON 9.78

$2.54 RON 11.52

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.68

$2.39 RON 10.84

-29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 RON 11.81

$3.24 RON 14.69

-19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 RON 19.64

$4.36 RON 19.80

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.78

$1.74 RON 7.88

-13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 6.01

$1.57 RON 7.10

-15.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.90 RON 8.63

-26.84%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.63

$3.99 RON 18.12

-24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 RON 41.09

$9.70 RON 43.99

-6.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 29.23

$7.75 RON 35.14

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 RON 52.3

$12.36 RON 56.0

-6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.45

$1.51 RON 6.86

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.22

$1.81 RON 8.20

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.05

$2.01 RON 9.13

-22.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.43

$2.63 RON 11.94

-4.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.00 RON 4.56

-22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.00 RON 4.55

3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.98 RON 4.44

-26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.75

$1.07 RON 4.84

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 RON 30.44

$6.74 RON 30.55

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 RON 34.86

$7.76 RON 35.20

-0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.48

$1.29 RON 5.84

-6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.07

$1.80 RON 8.17

-1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.78 RON 3.54

43.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 RON 162

$31.80 RON 144

12.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 3.83

$0.97 RON 4.40

-13.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$1.01 RON 4.59

-14.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.72

$9.00 RON 40.84

-0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RON 8.42

$1.91 RON 8.68

-2.62%

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

$29.3K RON 133.0K

$30.2K RON 136.9K

-2.87%

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

$25.4K RON 115.1K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

-3.89%

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

$176 RON 796

$168 RON 760

4.80%

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

$6.89 RON 31.24

$8.78 RON 39.84

-21.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 RON 41.94

$10.41 RON 47.20

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 RON 185

$48.20 RON 219

-15.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 RON 74.4

$23.92 RON 108

-31.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 40.03

$10.15 RON 46.03

-13.00%

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

$625 RON 2,836

$613 RON 2,781

1.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,074 RON 41.2K

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-10.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 361

$92.4 RON 419

-13.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 RON 190

$47.93 RON 217

-12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 366

$105 RON 475

-23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 RON 420

$112 RON 510

-17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,561

$665 RON 3,016

-15.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,706

$548 RON 2,484

-31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,948

$1,212 RON 5,498

-28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 RON 2,928

$858 RON 3,893

-24.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 RON 12.0K

$4,765 RON 21.6K

-44.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 RON 8,832

$3,587 RON 16.3K

-45.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 RON 5,542

$1,365 RON 6,191

-10.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.8

1.18%

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

Last update for Timisoara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $565 in Timisoara and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 12% 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: $48.00 in Timisoara vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $248 per month, with Timisoara 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

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

Timisoara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $565 in Timisoara versus $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Timisoara runs roughly 13% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $625 in Timisoara versus $613 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,214 in Timisoara versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timisoara but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Timisoara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Timisoara 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, Timisoara 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 Timisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.