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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $878 per month in Arad vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Arad vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,893 per month in Arad vs $2,350 in Iasi, rent included.

Arad is about 24% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arad and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.18 RON 42.09

$10.39 RON 47.66

-11.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 RON 156

$51.6 RON 236

-34.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 RON 31.36

$7.12 RON 32.64

-3.93%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.41

$2.63 RON 12.08

-13.69%

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

$1.56 RON 7.18

$2.11 RON 9.67

-26.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 8.04

$1.71 RON 7.85

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 RON 9.56

$2.47 RON 11.34

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 RON 12.39

$3.36 RON 15.41

-19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.89

$1.43 RON 6.55

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.60

$1.22 RON 5.58

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.05

$1.89 RON 8.65

-18.52%

Eggs

$2.94 RON 13.49

$3.09 RON 14.15

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RON 36.10

$8.12 RON 37.26

-3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 RON 19.81

$6.93 RON 31.76

-37.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 RON 40.26

$10.88 RON 49.90

-19.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.53

$1.23 RON 5.65

-1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.55 RON 7.13

2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.71 RON 7.85

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$1.92 RON 8.79

-11.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$0.94 RON 4.30

-18.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$1.00 RON 4.60

-13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 RON 4.84

$1.00 RON 4.59

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.97

$0.86 RON 3.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 26.31

$6.28 RON 28.78

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 RON 24.26

$6.39 RON 29.29

-17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.74

$1.10 RON 5.04

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.53

$1.92 RON 8.82

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.79 RON 3.64

15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.47 RON 108

$27.96 RON 128

-16.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.94 RON 4.30

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.71 RON 3.26

22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 RON 42.85

$8.14 RON 37.33

14.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.19

$1.68 RON 7.70

-6.55%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-0.28%

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

$26.8K RON 122.8K

$27.7K RON 127.1K

-3.44%

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

$108 RON 497

$157 RON 718

-30.75%

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

$8.55 RON 39.21

$8.51 RON 39.04

0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 RON 35.07

$10.26 RON 47.05

-25.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.59 RON 177

$47.27 RON 217

-18.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 RON 106

$18.50 RON 84.8

24.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 RON 26.56

$8.00 RON 36.71

-27.63%

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

$227 RON 1,040

$471 RON 2,158

-51.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 RON 31.8K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.65 RON 182

$61.0 RON 280

-34.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 RON 178

$43.56 RON 200

-11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 370

$86.8 RON 398

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 RON 321

$87.5 RON 401

-19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,455

$473 RON 2,170

-32.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 RON 989

$359 RON 1,647

-39.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,592

$742 RON 3,402

-23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 RON 2,002

$533 RON 2,446

-18.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 RON 6,679

$2,911 RON 13.4K

-49.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 RON 5,070

$1,932 RON 8,861

-42.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 RON 3,886

$1,182 RON 5,421

-28.32%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Arad versus $473 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 40% 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 $34.00 in Arad versus $52.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $211 – 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 32% 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 $1,316 per month in Arad and $1,734 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 $34.00 in Arad and $52.0 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 $878 in Arad and $1,156 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 $878, than in Iasi at $1,156. 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 $878 versus $1,156 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.