Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Irkutsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Irkutsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Calarasi vs $1,054 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Calarasi vs $1,712 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Calarasi vs $2,370 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Calarasi is about 6% cheaper than Irkutsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Irkutsk are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 26% lower, Irkutsk 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 RON 45.08

$8.07 ₽633

21.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 RON 128

$35.12 ₽2,756

-20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 36.58

$5.61 ₽440

42.25%

Cappuccino

$2.69 RON 12.34

$3.05 ₽240

-11.80%

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

$1.53 RON 7.01

$1.56 ₽123

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$0.43 ₽33.67

316.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.45

$1.62 ₽127

40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 15.51

$2.49 ₽195

35.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 RON 6.23

$1.38 ₽109

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 RON 5.03

$0.56 ₽44.06

96.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.74

$1.76 ₽139

-3.98%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.92

$2.29 ₽179

41.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 RON 39.28

$15.49 ₽1,216

-44.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.81

$6.51 ₽511

6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 RON 42.04

$12.63 ₽991

-27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.40

$2.34 ₽184

-49.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.70

$2.47 ₽194

-40.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$3.10 ₽244

-57.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.10

$4.78 ₽375

-58.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.68

$1.02 ₽80.1

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.37

$0.86 ₽67.6

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$2.18 ₽171

-67.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.69

$0.72 ₽56.7

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 26.08

$3.82 ₽300

48.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.82

$8.56 ₽672

-49.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$1.23 ₽96.4

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.28

$2.28 ₽179

-39.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 RON 2.04

$0.49 ₽38.65

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.57 RON 62.2

$10.27 ₽806

32.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.89 ₽148

-62.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.94

$0.33 ₽25.67

93.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 RON 26.64

$4.59 ₽360

26.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$0.79 ₽62.0

102.53%

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

$24.7K RON 113.3K

$29.6K ₽2.3M

-16.42%

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

$26.9K RON 123.3K

$25.9K ₽2.0M

3.94%

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

$148 RON 680

$93.7 ₽7,354

58.31%

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

$8.24 RON 37.77

$6.76 ₽530

21.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.53 RON 34.54

$9.29 ₽729

-18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 RON 320

$39.56 ₽3,105

76.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 RON 86.8

$14.19 ₽1,113

33.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 RON 27.58

$5.00 ₽392

20.20%

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

$434 RON 1,989

$283 ₽22.2K

53.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,908 RON 31.7K

$6,881 ₽540.1K

0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 RON 378

$37.49 ₽2,943

120.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 RON 196

$38.59 ₽3,029

10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 RON 346

$99.8 ₽7,837

-24.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 458

$104 ₽8,184

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,754

$549 ₽43.1K

-30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,058

$335 ₽26.3K

-31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 RON 2,656

$1,176 ₽92.3K

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 RON 1,671

$759 ₽59.6K

-52.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 RON 5,688

$3,032 ₽238.0K

-59.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$984 RON 4,514

$1,821 ₽142.9K

-45.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$741 RON 3,396

$789 ₽61.9K

-6.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

19.29

-65.68%

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

Last update for Calarasi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Calarasi versus $549 in Irkutsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Irkutsk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Calarasi versus $35.00 in Irkutsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $265 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Calarasi vs Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Calarasi, $1,054 in Irkutsk – roughly 7% apart. Irkutsk costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,481 per month in Calarasi and $1,581 in Irkutsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Calarasi and $283 in Irkutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Irkutsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Irkutsk at $1,054. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Irkutsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Irkutsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.