The difference at a glance
- Cluj-Napoca has 4.0 fewer men per 100 women aged 20–39 than Bucharest.
- Monthly essentials cost 7.7% more in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
- A one-bed in the centre costs 2.0% less in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
- One average net salary stretches 0.16× less far in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
- The safety score is 5 points higher in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
- PM2.5 is 4.8 µg/m³ lower in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
- Green space is 6 points higher in Cluj-Napoca than in Bucharest.
Green favours Cluj-Napoca. Measured metrics only.
Head to head
Each row is named for the thing more of which is better, so a longer bar always wins.
Longer is better. Bar length is the rank among all 453 cities we hold that measure for, not a share of the pair.
Profile shape
Outward is better on every spoke, on the same percentile scale as the bars above. The area is not a score: it moves with the order of the axes.
Every metric, side by side
Each row carries the level it is measured at. A country figure is never printed as a city figure.
| Men per 100 women, 20–39national census, age×sex | 94.8 | 90.8 | 4.0 fewer men |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,108 | $1,193 | $85 |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $701 | $687 | $14 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $1,427 | $1,348 | $80 |
| Salary covers essentialsaverage net salary ÷ essentials | 1.29× | 1.13× | 0.16× |
| Safety scoreperception-based, not police-reported crime | 72/100 | 77/100 | 5 points |
| PM2.5µg/m³ a year; WHO guideline is 5 | 19.2 | 14.4 | 1.33× |
| Green spaceshare of residents in high-greenness area, 2025 NDVI | 58% | 64% | 6 points |
| Food outletswithin 5 km (3 mi); OpenStreetMap density, a scene signal, not quality | 1,761 | 512 | 3.44× |
| Universitieswithin 18 km (11 mi), deduplicated to institutions | 59 | 47 | 1.26× |
| Reported enrolmentwhere Wikidata reports it; no sex split | 65,469 | 41,136 | 1.59× |
| Warmest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | 26°C / 79°F | 23°C / 73°F | — |
| Coolest monthcontextfeels like, ten-year monthly normal | -4°C / 25°F | -4°C / 26°F | — |
| Wettest monthcontextrainfall, ten-year monthly normal | 82 mm / 3.2 in | 111 mm / 4.4 in | — |
| Airportcontextnearest scheduled-service class | International | International | — |
| Beach towncontexton or beside the coast | No | No | — |
| Populationcontextas enumerated at this level | 2,124,150 | 325,408 | — |
| Tourist pressurecontextvisitor lodging per 1,000 urban-centre residents | 0.16 | 0.39 | — |
| Expat easeest.hand-set estimate | 62/100 | 72/100 | 10 points |
| Walkabilityest.hand-set estimate | 58/100 | 68/100 | 10 points |
| Nightlifeest.hand-set estimate | 85/100 | 84/100 | 1 point |
| Traffic safetyest.hand-set estimate | 28/100 | 42/100 | 14 points |
| Power gridest.hand-set estimate | 86/100 | 90/100 | 4 points |
| Urban intensityest.hand-set estimate | 88/100 | 70/100 | — |
Data updated August 6, 2026. Cost figures are Numbeo; sex ratio is the national census age×sex table.
Sex ratio and climate
Sex ratio is men per 100 women in each five-year band, with 100 as parity. Climate is ten-year monthly normals.
Everyday prices
The single items the monthly figures are built from. Cheaper side highlighted.
| Item | Bucharest | Cluj-Napoca |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.12 | $13.12 |
| Meal for 2, mid-range | $60.14 | $61.38 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $7.44 | $9.84 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.53 | $3.71 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $3.50 | $3.28 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $4.37 | $4.37 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $2.37 | $2.50 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $2.28 | $2.39 |
| Milk, 1 L | $1.66 | $1.67 |
| White bread, 500 g | $1.27 | $1.53 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.65 | $1.86 |
| Eggs, 12 | $3.77 | $3.74 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $9.26 | $9.87 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $7.30 | $7.62 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $1.26 | $1.49 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.65 | $1.68 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $2.71 | $2.56 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $0.79 | $0.99 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $0.72 | $1.00 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.96 | $1.02 |
| One-way ticket, local transport | $1.09 | $0.77 |
| Monthly transit pass | $21.87 | $31.93 |
| Taxi start | $0.66 | $0.98 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.66 | $0.98 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.95 | $1.90 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $199.39 | $164.28 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $10.47 | $9.67 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $8.35 | $8.34 |
| Gym, monthly | $52.40 | $47.33 |
| Cinema, one seat | $8.75 | $9.84 |
Common questions
Answered here, from the figures above.
Which has more women, Bucharest or Cluj-Napoca?
Cluj-Napoca, by 4.0 fewer men per 100 women.
men per 100 women, aged 20–39
Is Cluj-Napoca cheaper than Bucharest?
Bucharest is cheaper, by $85 a month.
essentials per month
Which is safer, Bucharest or Cluj-Napoca?
Cluj-Napoca, by 5 points.
safety score, higher is safer
Perception-based, not police-reported crime.
Which has better air quality?
Cluj-Napoca, by 1.33×.
PM2.5 µg/m³, annual mean
Both sit above the WHO guideline of 5.
Which goes further on a local salary?
Bucharest, by 0.16×.
essentials covered by one average net salary
Put Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca on the same board
Both cities land on the desk already pinned, next to every other city we track.
Open both in the research deskOr go deeper on Romania: visa, tax, scams, dating culture and subregion rankings. Unlocks the deep-dive, and every other market.
Photos: Bucharest: Madalin Pentelie, CC0 · Cluj-Napoca: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0.
