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: $876 in Baia Mare versus $1,141 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Baia Mare versus $1,746 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Baia Mare versus $2,351 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 34% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 42.66

$10.56 RON 47.99

-11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.06 RON 168

$51.0 RON 232

-27.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 RON 32.26

$6.75 RON 30.70

5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.11 RON 9.59

$2.61 RON 11.86

-19.16%

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

$1.82 RON 8.26

$2.00 RON 9.09

-9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.85

$1.68 RON 7.64

-23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 RON 7.25

$2.50 RON 11.35

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 RON 10.02

$3.37 RON 15.34

-34.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.79

$1.39 RON 6.31

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.54

$1.26 RON 5.72

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.91

$1.82 RON 8.29

-16.48%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.17

$3.25 RON 14.77

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 RON 34.04

$8.14 RON 37.02

-7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 RON 26.96

$6.85 RON 31.15

-13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 RON 39.61

$11.03 RON 50.1

-21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.48

$1.24 RON 5.64

-2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.25

$1.62 RON 7.36

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 RON 7.63

$1.77 RON 8.07

-5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 RON 9.62

$1.91 RON 8.71

10.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$0.95 RON 4.31

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.01 RON 4.61

-6.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.59

$1.03 RON 4.70

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.86 RON 3.89

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 RON 23.66

$6.18 RON 28.09

-15.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 RON 22.96

$6.58 RON 29.93

-23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$1.14 RON 5.17

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.47

$1.90 RON 8.66

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.79 RON 3.59

-10.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 RON 73.4

$27.68 RON 126

-41.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.88 RON 4.01

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$0.74 RON 3.37

17.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 RON 42.61

$8.29 RON 37.69

13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.94

$1.66 RON 7.56

-7.83%

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

$28.0K RON 127.3K

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-1.63%

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

$26.2K RON 119.0K

$27.2K RON 123.9K

-3.89%

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

$114 RON 520

$157 RON 712

-26.89%

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

$8.42 RON 38.28

$8.32 RON 37.84

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.49 RON 52.2

$9.70 RON 44.11

18.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 RON 235

$46.92 RON 213

10.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 RON 95.4

$18.18 RON 82.7

15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 RON 31.69

$8.16 RON 37.09

-14.58%

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

$435 RON 1,979

$469 RON 2,133

-7.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,894 RON 31.3K

$6,858 RON 31.2K

0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 RON 247

$62.5 RON 284

-13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 RON 177

$43.78 RON 199

-11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 RON 309

$84.1 RON 382

-19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 RON 420

$87.7 RON 399

5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 RON 1,292

$474 RON 2,157

-40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 RON 943

$361 RON 1,640

-42.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 RON 2,443

$730 RON 3,320

-26.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 RON 1,823

$535 RON 2,431

-25.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,106 RON 9,574

$2,958 RON 13.4K

-28.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,463 RON 6,651

$1,951 RON 8,869

-25.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$898 RON 4,081

$1,168 RON 5,310

-23.14%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Baia Mare and $474 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 30% 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 $51.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $284 in Baia Mare versus $474 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $435 in Baia Mare versus $469 in Iasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $876 in Baia Mare versus $1,141 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 30% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.