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: $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,305 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Brasov versus $1,902 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,078 in Brasov versus $2,499 in Iasi.

Living in Brasov is roughly 4% more expensive than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasov 1% lower, Iasi 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 RON 55.0

$11.00 RON 49.88

10.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 RON 252

$43.93 RON 199

26.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.58

$7.83 RON 35.52

0.26%

Cappuccino

$3.85 RON 17.44

$2.97 RON 13.48

29.63%

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

$2.58 RON 11.71

$2.21 RON 10.02

16.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.65

$1.90 RON 8.61

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.63

$3.27 RON 14.84

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.06

$4.09 RON 18.57

-13.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.13

$1.67 RON 7.56

-5.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$1.43 RON 6.47

4.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.10

$2.15 RON 9.75

-17.21%

Eggs

$3.55 RON 16.10

$3.52 RON 15.97

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 RON 41.63

$8.72 RON 39.55

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.35

$6.48 RON 29.37

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 RON 60.9

$10.28 RON 46.63

30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.40 RON 6.36

13.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.41

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.52

$1.74 RON 7.88

-4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 RON 12.98

$2.26 RON 10.25

26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.92 RON 4.17

-7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.94 RON 4.27

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.16 RON 5.25

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.01 RON 4.60

-22.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.59

$6.60 RON 29.94

-1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 RON 35.63

$6.60 RON 29.93

19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.92

$1.40 RON 6.37

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.54

$2.21 RON 10.01

-14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.89 RON 4.06

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 RON 109

$28.55 RON 129

-16.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$0.85 RON 3.84

-22.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.84 RON 3.81

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 30.87

$8.92 RON 40.46

-23.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.69

$1.84 RON 8.33

4.35%

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

$29.5K RON 134.0K

$30.1K RON 136.4K

-1.81%

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

$27.3K RON 124.0K

$29.1K RON 132.1K

-6.13%

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

$187 RON 848

$192 RON 871

-2.57%

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

$8.12 RON 36.84

$7.81 RON 35.42

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.04

$8.94 RON 40.53

8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 RON 274

$46.28 RON 210

30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 RON 65.8

$16.61 RON 75.4

-12.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 RON 44.38

$9.05 RON 41.04

8.07%

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

$466 RON 2,115

$421 RON 1,911

10.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,246 RON 32.9K

$7,347 RON 33.3K

-1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 RON 250

$75.5 RON 343

-26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.49 RON 170

$40.56 RON 184

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 360

$95.7 RON 434

-17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 433

$95.8 RON 434

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,293

$556 RON 2,521

30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 RON 2,191

$441 RON 1,998

9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 RON 6,157

$916 RON 4,153

48.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 RON 4,929

$698 RON 3,166

55.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 RON 14.5K

$2,963 RON 13.4K

8.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,472 RON 11.2K

$1,991 RON 9,032

24.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 RON 5,242

$1,164 RON 5,279

-0.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.18

0.28%

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

Last update for Brasov: August 30, 2026

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Brasov and $556 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Brasov vs $44.00 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $224 per month, with Iasi 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

Brasov vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasov and Iasi differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,356 vs $1,305 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $726 in Brasov versus $556 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 $44.00 versus $56.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,356 per month in Brasov versus $1,305 in Iasi – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Iasi versus $1,356 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 4% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.