Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Arad vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,394 per month in Arad vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Arad vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Arad is about 22% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arad and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 RON 42.13

$10.52 RON 47.54

-11.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.02 RON 158

$51.4 RON 232

-31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$6.73 RON 30.43

4.61%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.41

$2.68 RON 12.12

-14.18%

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

$1.64 RON 7.39

$2.08 RON 9.38

-21.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.74 RON 7.87

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 RON 9.21

$2.46 RON 11.11

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 RON 12.54

$3.42 RON 15.45

-19.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.40 RON 6.33

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.22 RON 5.51

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.87 RON 8.44

-18.72%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.22

$3.21 RON 14.49

-9.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 36.64

$7.95 RON 35.94

2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 RON 19.36

$6.70 RON 30.28

-36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 RON 39.08

$10.99 RON 49.66

-21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.33

$1.24 RON 5.60

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.62 RON 7.32

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.46

$1.73 RON 7.83

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$1.97 RON 8.89

-15.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.99 RON 4.47

-19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$1.05 RON 4.73

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$1.04 RON 4.68

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.18

$0.86 RON 3.89

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.38

$6.37 RON 28.81

-8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 RON 28.14

$6.61 RON 29.88

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$1.09 RON 4.95

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.98 RON 8.95

-19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.85 RON 3.83

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.51 RON 106

$27.13 RON 123

-13.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.86

$0.89 RON 4.03

-4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.92

$0.70 RON 3.16

24.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.57

$7.84 RON 35.44

14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.66 RON 7.51

-5.42%

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

$28.1K RON 127.0K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-1.54%

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

$26.6K RON 120.3K

$27.3K RON 123.6K

-2.65%

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

$111 RON 504

$156 RON 707

-28.72%

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

$8.40 RON 37.98

$8.47 RON 38.31

-0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.84 RON 35.46

$10.21 RON 46.17

-23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 RON 175

$47.10 RON 213

-17.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.06 RON 104

$18.25 RON 82.5

26.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.62

$8.17 RON 36.95

-30.60%

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

$228 RON 1,032

$463 RON 2,093

-50.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,887 RON 31.1K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

-2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.72 RON 184

$62.3 RON 282

-34.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.66 RON 175

$42.79 RON 193

-9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 361

$86.4 RON 390

-7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 RON 314

$86.9 RON 393

-20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 RON 1,445

$474 RON 2,144

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 RON 1,000

$361 RON 1,634

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,550

$750 RON 3,391

-24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,938

$550 RON 2,488

-22.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,484 RON 6,706

$3,076 RON 13.9K

-51.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,097 RON 4,958

$1,997 RON 9,025

-45.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 RON 3,986

$1,191 RON 5,383

-25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.37

-11.80%

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

Last update for Arad: June 1, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Arad versus $474 in Iasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad versus $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $212 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arad vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 29% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Arad and $1,706 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad and $51.0 in Iasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $884 in Arad and $1,137 in Iasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Iasi at $1,137. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $884 versus $1,137 in Iasi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.