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: $924 in Baia Mare versus $1,275 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,448 in Baia Mare versus $1,920 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Baia Mare versus $2,564 in Iasi.

Living in Baia Mare costs roughly 28% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baia Mare 32% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 RON 60.0

$11.03 RON 50.6

18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 RON 156

$43.78 RON 201

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 RON 40.83

$7.58 RON 34.72

17.55%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 10.03

$3.09 RON 14.16

-29.13%

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

$1.90 RON 8.69

$2.12 RON 9.70

-10.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 RON 6.61

$1.83 RON 8.37

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 RON 7.44

$3.32 RON 15.19

-51.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.24

$3.86 RON 17.68

-42.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.28

$1.60 RON 7.31

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 RON 6.70

$1.41 RON 6.44

3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.20

$2.11 RON 9.67

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.90 RON 13.29

$3.46 RON 15.85

-16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.87

$8.31 RON 38.05

-21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 RON 32.87

$6.37 RON 29.16

12.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 RON 51.2

$10.13 RON 46.41

10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.44

$1.39 RON 6.35

-14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.69 RON 7.76

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.59

$1.73 RON 7.91

-16.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.84

$2.25 RON 10.32

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.76

$0.88 RON 4.01

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.33

$0.94 RON 4.33

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 RON 5.14

$1.22 RON 5.58

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.70

$1.04 RON 4.75

-22.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$6.47 RON 29.64

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 RON 22.41

$6.46 RON 29.58

-24.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$1.40 RON 6.43

-22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.62

$2.14 RON 9.80

-22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.10

$0.86 RON 3.94

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 RON 71.3

$28.18 RON 129

-44.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.87 RON 3.98

-9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.91 RON 4.15

-5.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 RON 28.02

$8.88 RON 40.66

-31.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.84 RON 8.43

-5.98%

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

$29.8K RON 136.6K

$29.5K RON 135.3K

0.96%

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

$25.5K RON 117.0K

$28.1K RON 128.6K

-9.00%

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

$111 RON 509

$191 RON 873

-41.70%

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

$16.04 RON 73.5

$7.41 RON 33.93

116.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.25 RON 56.1

$8.89 RON 40.72

37.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.14 RON 184

$46.83 RON 215

-14.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.00 RON 77.9

$16.46 RON 75.4

3.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 RON 47.02

$8.56 RON 39.22

19.86%

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

$557 RON 2,553

$416 RON 1,904

34.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,636 RON 25.8K

$7,400 RON 33.9K

-23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.53 RON 177

$77.4 RON 355

-50.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 RON 200

$40.07 RON 184

8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 RON 296

$96.0 RON 440

-32.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 RON 356

$94.7 RON 434

-17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 RON 1,298

$555 RON 2,541

-48.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 RON 990

$449 RON 2,059

-51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 RON 2,325

$926 RON 4,240

-45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,766

$692 RON 3,170

-44.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 RON 9,540

$2,950 RON 13.5K

-29.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,494 RON 6,842

$1,976 RON 9,051

-24.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 RON 4,162

$1,152 RON 5,275

-21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.48

7.18

4.18%

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

Last update for Baia Mare: September 15, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Baia Mare and $555 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 27% 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: $34.00 in Baia Mare vs $44.00 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $221 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Iasi. 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: $283 in Baia Mare versus $555 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Baia Mare versus $416 in Iasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $924 in Baia Mare versus $1,275 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 38% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.