Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $1,287 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $1,944 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $2,601 in Iasi.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Iasi is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.6

$11.18 RON 50.6

27.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 274

$44.31 RON 201

36.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 34.09

$7.84 RON 35.52

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.85

$2.97 RON 13.45

25.25%

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

$2.41 RON 10.92

$2.21 RON 10.02

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.29

$1.91 RON 8.66

18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.51

$3.38 RON 15.30

21.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.58

$3.90 RON 17.65

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.67 RON 7.55

6.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.65

$1.38 RON 6.26

6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.20

$2.05 RON 9.29

-11.71%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.29

$3.52 RON 15.94

8.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.97

$8.36 RON 37.88

13.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.48

$6.64 RON 30.08

4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 57.0

$10.43 RON 47.22

20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.01

$1.45 RON 6.58

-8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.45

$1.71 RON 7.72

-3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.28

$1.78 RON 8.06

-9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.18

$2.26 RON 10.25

19.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.88 RON 4.00

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.44

$0.90 RON 4.07

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$1.22 RON 5.51

-29.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.44

$1.01 RON 4.58

-2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.34

$6.82 RON 30.90

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.66

$6.51 RON 29.47

3.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.40 RON 6.33

-7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$2.22 RON 10.05

-22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

$28.56 RON 129

-21.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.94

$0.93 RON 4.20

-30.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.92 RON 4.14

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.96

$8.71 RON 39.44

-21.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.21

$1.84 RON 8.35

10.33%

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

$29.4K RON 133.2K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-1.78%

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

$27.6K RON 124.8K

$28.6K RON 129.6K

-3.71%

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

$198 RON 896

$191 RON 865

3.62%

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

$8.71 RON 39.47

$7.82 RON 35.41

11.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.61

$9.07 RON 41.07

11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 248

$46.91 RON 212

16.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 117

$16.58 RON 75.1

55.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.58

$8.78 RON 39.77

-0.46%

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

$648 RON 2,934

$414 RON 1,874

56.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.7K

$7,254 RON 32.8K

109.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 433

$74.3 RON 337

28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 183

$40.27 RON 182

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 368

$94.5 RON 428

-14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 458

$96.1 RON 435

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,181

$558 RON 2,525

25.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,205

$448 RON 2,031

8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,179

$932 RON 4,222

22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,416

$692 RON 3,135

8.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.3K

$2,998 RON 13.6K

34.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.6K

$1,996 RON 9,041

16.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,953

$1,203 RON 5,450

27.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

7.18

-5.01%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $558 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 28% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $44.00 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 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

Bucharest vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Iasi differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $1,287 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Bucharest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $702 in Bucharest versus $558 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,434 per month in Bucharest versus $1,287 in Iasi – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 28% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Iasi versus $1,434 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iasi but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. 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, Bucharest 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 Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.