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: $894 in Baia Mare versus $1,157 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,405 in Baia Mare versus $1,741 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,917 in Baia Mare versus $2,326 in Iasi.

Living in Baia Mare costs roughly 23% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baia Mare 33% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 RON 41.00

$10.20 RON 44.45

-7.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.34 RON 163

$51.7 RON 225

-27.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 RON 29.63

$7.08 RON 30.87

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$2.12 RON 9.24

$2.59 RON 11.30

-18.15%

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

$1.72 RON 7.52

$2.09 RON 9.10

-17.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.61

$1.76 RON 7.68

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 RON 6.97

$2.47 RON 10.77

-35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.68

$3.50 RON 15.26

-36.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.63

$1.38 RON 6.02

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.32

$1.26 RON 5.48

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.89

$1.79 RON 7.81

-11.73%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.62

$3.11 RON 13.57

7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 RON 33.29

$8.11 RON 35.38

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 RON 26.08

$6.78 RON 29.57

-11.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 RON 38.68

$11.07 RON 48.26

-19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.33

$1.17 RON 5.12

4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.63 RON 7.12

-6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.51

$1.81 RON 7.89

-4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 RON 9.40

$1.92 RON 8.35

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.39

$1.00 RON 4.38

-22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.83

$1.02 RON 4.45

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.58

$1.00 RON 4.38

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.49

$0.88 RON 3.82

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 RON 22.56

$6.30 RON 27.47

-17.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 RON 21.55

$6.92 RON 30.19

-28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.54

$1.10 RON 4.80

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.93 RON 8.40

-4.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

$0.77 RON 3.38

-12.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.29 RON 71.0

$27.83 RON 121

-41.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.32

$0.90 RON 3.91

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.53

$0.74 RON 3.24

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.07 RON 39.54

$8.12 RON 35.39

11.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.67 RON 7.26

-8.38%

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

$28.4K RON 124.0K

$27.7K RON 120.9K

2.58%

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

$26.7K RON 116.3K

$27.6K RON 120.4K

-3.43%

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

$116 RON 508

$155 RON 676

-24.94%

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

$8.84 RON 38.53

$8.32 RON 36.28

6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.30 RON 49.27

$10.07 RON 43.93

12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 RON 221

$46.91 RON 205

8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 RON 91.7

$18.61 RON 81.1

12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.95

$8.12 RON 35.39

-15.39%

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

$424 RON 1,849

$462 RON 2,016

-8.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,879 RON 30.0K

$6,992 RON 30.5K

-1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 RON 230

$62.7 RON 273

-15.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 RON 166

$42.85 RON 187

-11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 RON 305

$83.6 RON 364

-16.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 RON 408

$89.0 RON 388

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 RON 1,229

$467 RON 2,036

-39.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 RON 901

$354 RON 1,545

-41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,334

$722 RON 3,150

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,797

$551 RON 2,403

-25.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 RON 10.3K

$2,903 RON 12.7K

-18.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,632 RON 7,114

$1,842 RON 8,033

-11.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 RON 3,949

$1,134 RON 4,942

-20.10%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Baia Mare and $467 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 25% 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: $37.00 in Baia Mare vs $52.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $213 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iasi earns 25% 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: $282 in Baia Mare versus $467 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $424 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 $894 in Baia Mare versus $1,157 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 29% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.