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: $1,265 in Brasov versus $1,137 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,970 in Brasov versus $1,720 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Brasov versus $2,303 in Iasi.

Living in Brasov is roughly 11% more expensive than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasov 6% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 RON 55.1

$10.52 RON 47.54

15.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.75 RON 225

$51.4 RON 232

-3.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 RON 37.02

$6.73 RON 30.43

21.69%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.69

$2.68 RON 12.12

29.48%

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

$1.95 RON 8.81

$2.08 RON 9.38

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 RON 9.48

$1.74 RON 7.87

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.67

$2.46 RON 11.11

32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.80

$3.42 RON 15.45

2.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.72

$1.40 RON 6.33

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.02

$1.22 RON 5.51

9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.89

$1.87 RON 8.44

-6.42%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 15.32

$3.21 RON 14.49

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 RON 38.38

$7.95 RON 35.94

6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.46

$6.70 RON 30.28

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 RON 53.8

$10.99 RON 49.66

8.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.39

$1.24 RON 5.60

-4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.39

$1.62 RON 7.32

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.24

$1.73 RON 7.83

-7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 RON 11.43

$1.97 RON 8.89

28.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.99 RON 4.47

-4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$1.05 RON 4.73

1.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$1.04 RON 4.68

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.86 RON 3.89

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 RON 26.30

$6.37 RON 28.81

-8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 RON 40.82

$6.61 RON 29.88

36.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.09 RON 4.95

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$1.98 RON 8.95

-16.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.11

$0.85 RON 3.83

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 RON 85.9

$27.13 RON 123

-29.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.47

$0.89 RON 4.03

-13.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.73

$0.70 RON 3.16

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.10

$7.84 RON 35.44

-12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.66 RON 7.51

-4.22%

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

$27.7K RON 125.4K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-2.80%

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

$27.4K RON 123.9K

$27.3K RON 123.6K

0.26%

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

$167 RON 754

$156 RON 707

6.75%

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

$7.88 RON 35.63

$8.47 RON 38.31

-6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.28 RON 41.94

$10.21 RON 46.17

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 RON 270

$47.10 RON 213

26.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 RON 71.7

$18.25 RON 82.5

-13.10%

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 RON 48.99

$8.17 RON 36.95

32.68%

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

$441 RON 1,995

$463 RON 2,093

-4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,608 RON 29.9K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

-5.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 RON 297

$62.3 RON 282

5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 RON 192

$42.79 RON 193

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 RON 433

$86.4 RON 390

10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 RON 440

$86.9 RON 393

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 RON 2,808

$474 RON 2,144

30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 RON 1,892

$361 RON 1,634

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 RON 4,751

$750 RON 3,391

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 RON 3,171

$550 RON 2,488

27.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 RON 14.4K

$3,076 RON 13.9K

3.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 RON 11.3K

$1,997 RON 9,025

24.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 RON 4,892

$1,191 RON 5,383

-9.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Brasov and $474 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Brasov vs $51.0 in Iasi. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $212, 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,137 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Iasi earns 10% 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: $621 in Brasov versus $474 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 $51.0 versus $50.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Brasov versus $1,137 in Iasi – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,265 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 11% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.