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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,137 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,720 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,303 in Iasi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 17% more expensive than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Iasi is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.5

$10.52 RON 47.59

29.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$51.4 RON 232

32.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.42

$6.73 RON 30.46

19.61%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.38

$2.68 RON 12.13

26.87%

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

$2.32 RON 10.51

$2.08 RON 9.39

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.75

$1.74 RON 7.88

36.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.46 RON 11.12

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.16

$3.42 RON 15.47

17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$1.40 RON 6.33

24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.22 RON 5.51

16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.87 RON 8.45

3.21%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 16.01

$3.21 RON 14.51

10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.95

$7.95 RON 35.98

16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.25

$6.70 RON 30.32

6.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.6

$10.99 RON 49.71

11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.24 RON 5.61

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.62 RON 7.33

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.99

$1.73 RON 7.84

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$1.97 RON 8.90

21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.99 RON 4.48

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.05 RON 4.73

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.04 RON 4.68

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$0.86 RON 3.89

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.85

$6.37 RON 28.85

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.19

$6.61 RON 29.92

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.09 RON 4.95

11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.85 RON 3.84

36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.1

$27.13 RON 123

-28.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$0.89 RON 4.03

-19.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$0.70 RON 3.16

-11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$7.84 RON 35.48

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$1.66 RON 7.51

3.01%

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

$29.0K RON 131.1K

$28.5K RON 129.2K

1.54%

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

$30.3K RON 137.1K

$27.3K RON 123.7K

10.82%

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

$178 RON 804

$156 RON 708

13.68%

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

$9.16 RON 41.45

$8.47 RON 38.35

8.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$10.21 RON 46.22

8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$47.10 RON 213

16.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$18.25 RON 82.6

59.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.97

$8.17 RON 36.99

13.46%

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

$677 RON 3,063

$463 RON 2,095

46.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

111.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$62.3 RON 282

28.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$42.79 RON 194

5.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$86.4 RON 391

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 494

$86.9 RON 393

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,996

$474 RON 2,147

39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,955

$361 RON 1,635

19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,133

$750 RON 3,395

80.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,806

$550 RON 2,491

52.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.5K

$3,076 RON 13.9K

25.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,997 RON 9,036

15.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,623

$1,191 RON 5,389

22.89%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $474 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 23% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $51.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $212 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,137 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 23% more on average, 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 $474 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,137 in Iasi – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 39% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,336 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 17% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.