Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Bacau vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $2,350 in Iasi, rent included.

Bacau is about 22% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bacau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.8

$10.39 RON 47.66

12.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 210

$51.6 RON 236

-11.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.40

$7.12 RON 32.64

14.61%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.55

$2.63 RON 12.08

-12.55%

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

$2.20 RON 10.11

$2.11 RON 9.67

4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.51

$1.71 RON 7.85

8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.64

$2.47 RON 11.34

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.26

$3.36 RON 15.41

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.16

$1.43 RON 6.55

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.22 RON 5.58

-31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.89 RON 8.65

-9.52%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.82

$3.09 RON 14.15

18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.22

$8.12 RON 37.26

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.51

$6.93 RON 31.76

-10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.74

$10.88 RON 49.90

-16.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$1.23 RON 5.65

2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.43

$1.55 RON 7.13

4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.94

$1.71 RON 7.85

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.92 RON 8.79

-4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$0.94 RON 4.30

-1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.83

$1.00 RON 4.60

-17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.00 RON 4.59

-29.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.86 RON 3.94

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.84

$6.28 RON 28.78

-6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.16

$6.39 RON 29.29

2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$1.10 RON 5.04

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.14

$1.92 RON 8.82

-30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.89

$0.79 RON 3.64

-20.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$27.96 RON 128

14.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.85

$0.94 RON 4.30

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.95

$0.71 RON 3.26

-9.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 34.12

$8.14 RON 37.33

-8.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$1.68 RON 7.70

-4.76%

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

$28.3K RON 129.6K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-0.87%

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

$26.7K RON 122.3K

$27.7K RON 127.1K

-3.82%

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

$116 RON 532

$157 RON 718

-25.93%

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

$8.53 RON 39.13

$8.51 RON 39.04

0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.14

$10.26 RON 47.05

-48.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$47.27 RON 217

-47.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$18.50 RON 84.8

26.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.22

$8.00 RON 36.71

-14.88%

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

$654 RON 3,001

$471 RON 2,158

39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.3K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

-19.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 415

$61.0 RON 280

48.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$43.56 RON 200

-18.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 292

$86.8 RON 398

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 454

$87.5 RON 401

13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,492

$473 RON 2,170

-31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 839

$359 RON 1,647

-49.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,299

$742 RON 3,402

-32.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,677

$533 RON 2,446

-31.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,382

$2,911 RON 13.4K

-37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,581

$1,932 RON 8,861

-37.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,687

$1,182 RON 5,421

-13.54%

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 Bacau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau 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 16% 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 $46.00 in Bacau versus $52.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $211 – making Bacau 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

Bacau vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Iasi is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Bacau 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 Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau 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 $905 in Bacau and $1,156 in Iasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacau. 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.