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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Bacau vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Bacau vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Bacau vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Bacau is about 20% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bacau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 RON 52.5

$10.52 RON 47.54

10.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.83 RON 207

$51.4 RON 232

-10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 37.38

$6.73 RON 30.43

22.88%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.47

$2.68 RON 12.12

-13.43%

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

$2.18 RON 9.85

$2.08 RON 9.38

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$1.74 RON 7.87

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$2.46 RON 11.11

-8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RON 16.45

$3.42 RON 15.45

6.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.20

$1.40 RON 6.33

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.22 RON 5.51

-27.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.87 RON 8.44

-8.02%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.12

$3.21 RON 14.49

18.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 RON 37.84

$7.95 RON 35.94

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 RON 27.73

$6.70 RON 30.28

-8.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 RON 42.69

$10.99 RON 49.66

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.66

$1.24 RON 5.60

0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.62 RON 7.32

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.73 RON 7.83

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.70

$1.97 RON 8.89

-2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$0.99 RON 4.47

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$1.05 RON 4.73

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$1.04 RON 4.68

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.55

$0.86 RON 3.89

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 25.71

$6.37 RON 28.81

-10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.37

$6.61 RON 29.88

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.09 RON 4.95

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$1.98 RON 8.95

-32.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.85

$0.85 RON 3.83

-25.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.81 RON 144

$27.13 RON 123

17.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$0.89 RON 4.03

-31.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.71

$0.70 RON 3.16

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 RON 34.85

$7.84 RON 35.44

-1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.66 RON 7.51

-4.82%

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

$28.1K RON 127.1K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-1.48%

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

$26.8K RON 121.0K

$27.3K RON 123.6K

-2.09%

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

$114 RON 516

$156 RON 707

-27.05%

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

$8.19 RON 37.03

$8.47 RON 38.31

-3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.23 RON 23.62

$10.21 RON 46.17

-48.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.17 RON 114

$47.10 RON 213

-46.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 RON 106

$18.25 RON 82.5

28.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 30.61

$8.17 RON 36.95

-17.14%

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

$654 RON 2,958

$463 RON 2,093

41.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 RON 24.9K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

-21.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 409

$62.3 RON 282

45.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 RON 161

$42.79 RON 193

-16.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$86.4 RON 390

-27.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 RON 444

$86.9 RON 393

12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 RON 1,449

$474 RON 2,144

-32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 RON 844

$361 RON 1,634

-48.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 RON 2,290

$750 RON 3,391

-32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 RON 1,662

$550 RON 2,488

-33.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,893 RON 8,559

$3,076 RON 13.9K

-38.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 RON 5,612

$1,997 RON 9,025

-37.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,020 RON 4,609

$1,191 RON 5,383

-14.38%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Bacau 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 17% 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 $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $212 – 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 25%, 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 $1,368 per month in Bacau 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 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 $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 $912 in Bacau and $1,137 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 $912, than in Iasi at $1,137. 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.