Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $887 in Baia Mare versus $1,123 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Baia Mare versus $1,706 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Baia Mare versus $2,288 in Iasi.

Living in Baia Mare costs roughly 21% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baia Mare 34% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.11 RON 41.20

$10.49 RON 47.43

-13.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 RON 164

$50.4 RON 228

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 RON 32.09

$7.06 RON 31.91

0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.21 RON 10.01

$2.61 RON 11.79

-15.33%

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

$1.79 RON 8.09

$2.09 RON 9.45

-14.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.05

$1.71 RON 7.75

-21.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 RON 7.09

$2.56 RON 11.58

-38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.07

$3.36 RON 15.18

-33.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 RON 6.51

$1.38 RON 6.25

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.55

$1.21 RON 5.49

1.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.99

$1.88 RON 8.52

-18.09%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.69

$3.26 RON 14.76

-0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.59 RON 34.33

$7.95 RON 35.97

-4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 RON 27.83

$6.69 RON 30.28

-8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 RON 40.73

$10.95 RON 49.51

-17.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$1.24 RON 5.62

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.89

$1.55 RON 7.01

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.80 RON 8.12

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 RON 9.99

$1.97 RON 8.90

12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$0.98 RON 4.45

-22.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.94

$1.05 RON 4.77

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$1.01 RON 4.56

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.56

$0.80 RON 3.63

-1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 RON 24.55

$6.07 RON 27.45

-10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 RON 22.15

$6.70 RON 30.32

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$1.14 RON 5.14

-9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 RON 8.02

$1.97 RON 8.93

-10.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.79 RON 3.57

-15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.35 RON 73.9

$27.90 RON 126

-41.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$0.93 RON 4.21

-18.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.75 RON 3.41

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 RON 40.89

$8.26 RON 37.38

9.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.68 RON 7.58

-10.12%

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

$28.6K RON 129.2K

$28.3K RON 128.2K

0.81%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$27.6K RON 124.6K

-5.70%

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

$117 RON 530

$158 RON 717

-26.07%

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

$8.37 RON 37.88

$8.26 RON 37.35

1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.17 RON 50.5

$10.26 RON 46.40

8.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 RON 232

$46.57 RON 211

10.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 RON 94.6

$18.66 RON 84.4

12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 RON 30.34

$8.14 RON 36.80

-17.57%

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

$431 RON 1,952

$462 RON 2,090

-6.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,838 RON 30.9K

$6,957 RON 31.5K

-1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 RON 240

$63.1 RON 285

-16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 RON 176

$43.17 RON 195

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 RON 318

$84.9 RON 384

-17.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 RON 422

$88.8 RON 402

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,296

$480 RON 2,170

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 RON 951

$362 RON 1,639

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 RON 2,426

$744 RON 3,366

-27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 RON 1,809

$550 RON 2,486

-27.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,362 RON 10.7K

$2,956 RON 13.4K

-20.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,555 RON 7,033

$2,005 RON 9,071

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$871 RON 3,940

$1,181 RON 5,340

-26.21%

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 Baia Mare: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $287 in Baia Mare and $480 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Baia Mare vs $50.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $211 per month, with Baia Mare cheaper across the board.

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

Baia Mare vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baia Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iasi earns 36% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $287 in Baia Mare versus $480 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $431 in Baia Mare versus $462 in Iasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Baia Mare versus $1,123 in Iasi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baia Mare but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Baia Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iasi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baia Mare and Iasi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.