If you’re planning to move to Cluj Napoca, choosing a great neighborhood to live in is extremely important. Yes, Cluj is safe and beautiful, but some areas are better than others. And we’re going to talk about the former in today’s article.
The property market is very competitive here, with the cost of living being one of the highest in the country. This is mainly because Cluj-Napoca has become Romania’s main IT hub, with people earning more than the average Romanian and driving prices up.
Even more so, Cluj is an important university hub in the country, so the competition for the lower priced accommodation options is high too.
But expensive or not, you still have to make sure that you end up living in an amazing area in Cluj, one that meets all your requirements – from proximity to your work (if needed), to plenty of opportunities to spend your free time, but also shops and schools and parks for recreation.
We’re talking about one of Romania’s largest cities, with a quite impressive number of neighborhoods to choose from. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming!
I prepared for you a list with the best 9 neighborhoods to live in Cluj-Napoca, so let’s check it out below!
A few things to know about Cluj Napoca’s Neighborhoods
No matter which one you choose (as I said, you have plenty of options), you should know that the streets are clean and the people are friendly (several studies showed that over 90% of the population is open towards visitors and tourists).
So you don’t have to worry about safety no matter what neighborhood you will eventually choose.
Public transport infrastructure is also greatly developed in the city, and you have plenty of alternatives to choose from in order to move from one side of the town to the other: trams, electric buses, public bikes, taxis and Ubers are always available.
There’s also a metro line planned, but it will be some years before you’ll be able to take the metro. But even more of a reason to score a great deal here before prices go up even more.
Still, living close to your interest area (whether it’s University, workplace, attraction points) will help you save a lot of money and time.
So if you’re wondering where to live in Cluj Napoca, here there are my recommendations for the best 9 neighborhoods to live in Cluj-Napoca.
1. Old Town
The city center is always an amazing choice in Romania, no matter the purpose or duration of your stay.
You may come to visit, or to live long term – it doesn’t matter. The central area is always a first recommendation. You’re right in the heart of the city, surrounded by restaurants, bars, entertainment and fun.
The Musem Square and Unirii Square are only few steps away; so are the theatre and museums.
Besides, you are close and well connected to every important point and any direction of the city, as well as the main attractions in Cluj Napoca.
This is also the most expensive area in Cluj Napoca – with demand high and offers low – but if you are not in a big hurry, it’s worth waiting for the perfect deal here.
Especially since you’re close to some of the best restaurants in Cluj – and you also get the highest amount of pubs, bars and shops in this area.
2. Gheorgheni
Gheorgheni is the second best place to live in Cluj-Napoca, in my opinion. It’s in the immediate proximity of the center, where you can get by foot in less than 10 minutes.
It’s right next to the Tailor’s Tower and Unirii Square. This makes it a great choice both for visitors and for people who’re moving in Cluj-Napoca.
The main street in Gheorgheni is Nicolae Titulescu. On this street you’ll be able to find several shops and pharmacies that are usually open until late at night. Iulius Mall and the University of Economics are also placed in Gheorgheni.
You also have a few restaurants and cafes here, but nothing too crazy. It’s mostly a residential, quiet area.
I also strongly recommend this neighborhood if you’re transitioning Cluj-Napoca and need to be close to the airport.
Sure, there are other neighborhoods even closer to the airport, such as Intre Lacuri or Someseni, but I don’t recommend these; they are very noisy and getting a good rest can be really difficult in these areas.
Gheorgheni, on the other hand, is a quiet neighborhood, close enough to the airport so you get there quickly and also far enough to keep the noise and agitation away.
Plus, you’ll get a great view of close-up airplanes taking-off or landing (without being bothered by their noise). And, if you’re choosing a high-rise apartment, you’ll also be able to enjoy some stunning sunsets.
3. Andrei Muresanu
The third location I recommend for your stay in Cluj is Andrei Muresanu.
Besides being located in the proximity of several shops and restaurants, Andrei Muresanu is the closest neighborhood you can find to the Botanical Garden.
Long, relaxing walks, far away from the noise of the city, are just few steps away from Andrei Muresanu area.
Plus, the neighborhood is generally very quiet, mostly with houses and not very tall blocks of flats. A great place to stay for families, young couples and students as well: it’s silent and it’s very clean.
It can also have you live close to the city center if you find a place in the Northern part of this neighborhood.
4. Marasti
Marasti is one of the largest neighborhoods in Cluj-Napoca, close to the city center.
This may be your best option if you’re coming with business or work in Cluj-Napoca, as many institutions are located in the area.
Another great advantage of living in Marasti is the fact that it is well connected to every other area of the city.
Public transport is working great anyway in the entire Cluj-Napoca city, but especially in Marasti. There are means of transport towards any part of the town.
There aren’t plenty of restaurants and pubs in this area (truth be told, except for the Old Town area, you won’t find another neighborhood with plenty of options), but at least you have many supermarkets and nice shops nearby.
5. Plopilor
This is your location if you’re coming to Cluj-Napoca for the UNTOLD festival. Cluj Arena is situated right in Plopilor neighborhood, and it’s also very close to the center and Central Park.
So, if you’re a tourist, and if your main interest is UNTOLD, you can’t get any better location in Cluj-Napoca than Plopilor!
If you’re moving to Cluj long term, on the other hand, it depends if Plopilor is the right place for you or not, according to your feelings about noise, tourists and loud music.
If you want to work, to rest, to have a silent place all year long, this might not be the best place.
But if, on the other hand, you love music and entertainment and plenty of tourists, you can definitely get a place in Plopilor.
One of the main advantages is that you’ll get to listen to UNTOLD music every year for free, from the comfort of your own apartment!
Nonetheless, Plopilor is also one of the best locations from Cluj-Napoca for Students, due to the proximity to most Universities in town.
6. Gruia
The Gruia neighborhood is recommended for its main advantage, which is the great proximity to the train station and to Beta bus station (national transport buses). So if you travel by these means, you are really close to them.
In addition to this, Gruia is also the neighborhood where Cetatuia Park is placed. So there is no better place to enjoy the climbing of Cetatuia Hill and the panoramic view of the city every day, than living in Gruia.
This is also a place for those looking for a house instead of an apartment as most of the buildings in the area are houses – modern or at least refurbished villas, too!
7. Hasdeu – Best for Students
If you’re coming in Cluj for studies, no doubt that Hasdeu must be your first choice.
The area is, in fact, a long street called Hasdeu, which is the largest student campus in Cluj-Napoca and the best neighborhood for you to stay as a student.
There are several canteens, boarding schools, libraries and Universities in this campus, plus various forms of entertainment, places to hang out and more.
Practically, this is the place developed around students’ life and the area where students may find anything they could possible need while going to University in Cluj-Napoca.
And if you’re curious to know how much should you budget as a student in Romania, make sure to read my article after you’re done with this one.
8. Zorilor
To the south of Andrei Muresanu you will find Zorilor neighborhood. It is a small area with a quite small population, compared to other areas of the city, but with generally higher standards of living.
It is a highly developed area where plenty of investments were made during the last decade.
Zorilor neighborhood is equally close to the Botanical Garden as Andrei Muresanu and there are mainly houses built in the area, plus two tower blocks, also close to the Garden. You can also find the Sigma Shopping Center here.
9. Mănăștur
Last but not least, Mănăștur is also a great place to stay in Cluj. I have to admit that the locals joke about the fact that it’s actually a horrible place to live in, but it’s usually those living in Mănăștur that make fun of the place.
It is located on the outskirts of the city and it’s the most populated neighborhood in Cluj Napoca. This is because many new buildings have been built here over the past few years, but also because the prices are a bit lower than those in centrally located areas.
But, with large population comes great development. So you will have plenty of cafes and bars and restaurants around, as well as a huge shopping mall and plenty of shops and large supermarkets.
With few exceptions, the place is very clean and a good option to stay in Cluj. The living standards are now really high in the zone, so if you prefer a lifestyle that matches this description, go for it.
The place is quiet, clean, safe and modern. It’s an amazing choice for the feeling of new and for the innovation vibe that it inspires.
As a tip, try to find a place close to Primaverii park in Manastur to get the best of this huge neighborhood.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, Cluj-Napoca is a well-developed city and all areas are safe and generally clean.
So, no matter where you choose to live, you will most likely not regret your decision. So I think you should mainly focus on being close (within walking distance, ideally) to your work place or school.
You will be close to the best means of transport to get you wherever you need to be in town, and you’ll permanently be as safe as possible. You can continue reading the Pros and Cons of living in Cluj Napoca.
The only difference will be your own comfort and proximity to the area of your main interest. And I hope that in regard to this matter, my recommendations will help you make the best decision!
- Beach, Please Festival 2024: Lineup, Schedule & Dates - April 19, 2024
- Best Music Festivals in Romania – with Dates & Lineups [2024 Update] - April 17, 2024
- Visiting the Peles Castle in Romania: Everything You Need to Know - April 11, 2024
First, l thought Andrei Muresanu would be my favorite, but after looking on Google maps, it’s maybe a little too quiet for me, and l have lived in similar places before. Therefore, I would go for the Old Town, even with more noise and activity. It was fun to imagine where l would like. Thanks for the great overview of the city. It has to be very useful to anyone who is thinking of moving there.
Definitely, the Old Town is the place to be and if you’re not in a hurry, you can still find a quiet place to be in. I like to take strolls with Google Street View also and imagine how it would be living here or there 🙂
Hi,
What about the Florești? Is it safe for International students to live and work?
Definitely, although I am not sure how many job opportunities are in Floresti, which is becoming more and more a suburb of Cluj.