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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,156 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,753 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,350 in Iasi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 18% more expensive than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Iasi is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.7

$10.39 RON 47.70

35.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$51.6 RON 237

33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.07

$7.12 RON 32.67

13.48%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.56

$2.63 RON 12.09

28.90%

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

$2.24 RON 10.29

$2.11 RON 9.67

6.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.10

$1.71 RON 7.86

41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.53

$2.47 RON 11.35

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.58

$3.36 RON 15.43

13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.43 RON 6.55

20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.20

$1.22 RON 5.59

10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.42

$1.89 RON 8.66

-3.17%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.74

$3.09 RON 14.16

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.35

$8.12 RON 37.29

13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.46

$6.93 RON 31.79

-1.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$10.88 RON 49.95

10.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.23 RON 5.66

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.55 RON 7.14

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.71 RON 7.86

6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.98

$1.92 RON 8.80

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.94 RON 4.31

10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$1.00 RON 4.60

2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.00 RON 4.59

-2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.86 RON 3.94

10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.36

$6.28 RON 28.81

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.84

$6.39 RON 29.32

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$1.10 RON 5.04

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.87

$1.92 RON 8.83

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.22

$0.79 RON 3.65

44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 91.0

$27.96 RON 128

-29.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.28

$0.94 RON 4.31

-24.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 3.00

$0.71 RON 3.26

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.82

$8.14 RON 37.36

-14.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.68 RON 7.71

-1.19%

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

$29.0K RON 132.9K

$28.5K RON 130.9K

1.52%

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

$30.1K RON 138.0K

$27.7K RON 127.2K

8.48%

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

$183 RON 842

$157 RON 718

17.19%

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

$8.95 RON 41.09

$8.51 RON 39.08

5.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.1

$10.26 RON 47.09

8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 250

$47.27 RON 217

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$18.50 RON 84.9

59.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.92

$8.00 RON 36.74

14.13%

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

$676 RON 3,105

$471 RON 2,160

43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

108.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$61.0 RON 280

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$43.56 RON 200

1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$86.8 RON 398

3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$87.5 RON 401

23.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,039

$473 RON 2,172

39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,022

$359 RON 1,649

22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,207

$742 RON 3,405

82.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,896

$533 RON 2,448

59.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$2,911 RON 13.4K

29.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,932 RON 8,869

15.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,463

$1,182 RON 5,426

19.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.37

-3.66%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $473 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 19% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $52.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $211 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,156 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $473 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,156 in Iasi – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 41% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,156 in Iasi versus $1,362 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 18% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.