Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,156 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,956 in Brasov versus $1,753 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Brasov versus $2,350 in Iasi.

Living in Brasov is roughly 8% more expensive than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasov 6% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 RON 57.0

$10.39 RON 47.66

19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 233

$51.6 RON 236

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 37.03

$7.12 RON 32.64

13.34%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.40

$2.63 RON 12.08

36.12%

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

$1.90 RON 8.73

$2.11 RON 9.67

-9.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$1.71 RON 7.85

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.91

$2.47 RON 11.34

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.67

$3.36 RON 15.41

1.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.07

$1.43 RON 6.55

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.92

$1.22 RON 5.58

5.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.32

$1.89 RON 8.65

-4.23%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.41

$3.09 RON 14.15

8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 RON 40.47

$8.12 RON 37.26

8.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 RON 32.24

$6.93 RON 31.76

1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RON 53.9

$10.88 RON 49.90

8.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.25

$1.23 RON 5.65

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.55 RON 7.13

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.11

$1.71 RON 7.85

-9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.40

$1.92 RON 8.79

29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.94 RON 4.30

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.88

$1.00 RON 4.60

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$1.00 RON 4.59

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.86 RON 3.94

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.82

$6.28 RON 28.78

-6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.94

$6.39 RON 29.29

22.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.08

$1.10 RON 5.04

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.92 RON 8.82

-10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.79 RON 3.64

15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 RON 85.7

$27.96 RON 128

-33.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.53

$0.94 RON 4.30

-18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.76

$0.71 RON 3.26

-15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 31.11

$8.14 RON 37.33

-16.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.36

$1.68 RON 7.70

-4.17%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-1.46%

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

$27.5K RON 126.2K

$27.7K RON 127.1K

-0.72%

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

$165 RON 757

$157 RON 718

5.52%

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

$8.19 RON 37.54

$8.51 RON 39.04

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.49

$10.26 RON 47.05

-13.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 RON 275

$47.27 RON 217

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 RON 72.5

$18.50 RON 84.8

-14.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 RON 49.49

$8.00 RON 36.71

34.87%

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

$447 RON 2,051

$471 RON 2,158

-4.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,652 RON 30.5K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

-3.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 312

$61.0 RON 280

11.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 RON 196

$43.56 RON 200

-2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RON 439

$86.8 RON 398

10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 RON 451

$87.5 RON 401

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 RON 2,870

$473 RON 2,170

32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,962

$359 RON 1,647

19.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 RON 4,720

$742 RON 3,402

38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 RON 3,205

$533 RON 2,446

31.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 RON 14.6K

$2,911 RON 13.4K

9.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 RON 11.0K

$1,932 RON 8,861

24.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 RON 5,171

$1,182 RON 5,421

-4.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.37

4.48%

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

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Brasov and $473 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Brasov vs $52.0 in Iasi. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $211, with Iasi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Brasov vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasov and Iasi differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $1,156 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $626 in Brasov versus $473 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Iasi – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $51.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Brasov versus $1,156 in Iasi – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,156 in Iasi versus $1,254 in Brasov, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iasi but tight or insufficient in Brasov. The gap between the two cities makes Iasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brasov 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 Iasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.