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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Bacau vs $1,305 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Bacau vs $1,902 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Bacau vs $2,499 in Iasi, rent included.

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

Both Bacau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 28% lower, Iasi 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 RON 55.1

$11.00 RON 49.65

11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 RON 401

$43.93 RON 198

102.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 RON 38.89

$7.83 RON 35.36

9.96%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RON 9.22

$2.97 RON 13.42

-31.31%

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

$2.05 RON 9.24

$2.21 RON 9.98

-7.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.67

$1.90 RON 8.57

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$3.27 RON 14.77

-17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.13

$4.09 RON 18.49

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.48

$1.67 RON 7.52

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.43 RON 6.44

-13.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$2.15 RON 9.70

-24.65%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$3.52 RON 15.89

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 RON 37.49

$8.72 RON 39.37

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 RON 25.73

$6.48 RON 29.24

-12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.87

$10.28 RON 46.42

-5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.40 RON 6.33

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.63 RON 7.38

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$1.74 RON 7.84

-13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.53

$2.26 RON 10.20

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.92 RON 4.15

-23.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.94 RON 4.26

-26.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$1.16 RON 5.22

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$1.01 RON 4.58

-21.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 RON 24.86

$6.60 RON 29.80

-16.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.07

$6.60 RON 29.79

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$1.40 RON 6.34

-26.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$2.21 RON 9.96

-33.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.89 RON 4.04

-12.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 RON 142

$28.55 RON 129

9.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.85 RON 3.82

-24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.84 RON 3.79

-20.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$8.92 RON 40.28

-27.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.84 RON 8.29

3.26%

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

$29.8K RON 134.5K

$30.1K RON 135.8K

-0.96%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$29.1K RON 131.5K

-10.64%

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

$111 RON 503

$192 RON 867

-41.96%

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

$11.43 RON 51.6

$7.81 RON 35.26

46.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 RON 23.03

$8.94 RON 40.34

-42.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 RON 123

$46.28 RON 209

-40.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 RON 76.3

$16.61 RON 75.0

1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 RON 40.03

$9.05 RON 40.86

-1.99%

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

$422 RON 1,906

$421 RON 1,902

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 RON 27.5K

$7,347 RON 33.2K

-17.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 RON 341

$75.5 RON 341

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 RON 204

$40.56 RON 183

11.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 436

$95.7 RON 432

0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 451

$95.8 RON 432

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,887

$556 RON 2,509

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 RON 1,141

$441 RON 1,989

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 RON 2,594

$916 RON 4,134

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,885

$698 RON 3,151

-40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 RON 8,610

$2,963 RON 13.4K

-35.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 RON 5,658

$1,991 RON 8,991

-37.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 RON 4,560

$1,164 RON 5,255

-13.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

7.18

-2.92%

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

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Bacau versus $556 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 15% 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 $89.0 in Bacau versus $44.00 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bacau vs $224 in Iasi – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 32%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,482 per month in Bacau and $1,958 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 $89.0 in Bacau and $44.00 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 $988 in Bacau and $1,305 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 $988, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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.