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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $901 per month in Calarasi vs $919 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,391 per month in Calarasi vs $1,444 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,881 per month in Calarasi vs $1,968 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Calarasi is about 2% cheaper than Irkutsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Irkutsk are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 34% lower, Irkutsk 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 RON 34.63

$5.74 ₽493

33.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 RON 122

$29.13 ₽2,500

-7.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 36.62

$5.90 ₽506

37.46%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 9.69

$2.82 ₽242

-24.11%

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

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.50 ₽128

-3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RON 8.23

$0.60 ₽51.1

203.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 RON 4.84

$1.77 ₽152

-39.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$3.50 ₽300

-56.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.28 ₽110

24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.55 ₽47.29

70.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.30

$1.56 ₽134

3.85%

Eggs

$2.99 RON 13.53

$1.82 ₽156

64.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 RON 37.85

$13.95 ₽1,197

-39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 RON 19.47

$6.23 ₽535

-30.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 RON 38.76

$11.01 ₽945

-22.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.16

$2.67 ₽229

-57.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.69

$2.07 ₽178

-28.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 RON 5.95

$2.67 ₽229

-50.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.13

$3.98 ₽341

-60.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 RON 1.89

$0.89 ₽76.4

-52.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 RON 2.91

$0.70 ₽60.5

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 RON 2.04

$2.25 ₽193

-80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$0.71 ₽61.4

15.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 RON 30.39

$3.07 ₽263

119.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.50

$7.67 ₽658

-43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.93 ₽80.2

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.45 ₽210

-38.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 RON 2.04

$0.50 ₽42.95

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.12 RON 59.3

$13.78 ₽1,183

-4.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.70 ₽146

-60.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.61 ₽52.1

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 30.63

$7.37 ₽633

-8.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 RON 7.93

$0.80 ₽69.0

120.00%

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

$29.7K RON 134.2K

$20.4K ₽1.8M

45.60%

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

$26.6K RON 120.4K

$30.8K ₽2.6M

-13.37%

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

$165 RON 746

$74.6 ₽6,401

121.24%

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

$6.77 RON 30.56

$6.36 ₽546

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.93 RON 31.29

$12.15 ₽1,043

-42.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.67 RON 224

$41.17 ₽3,534

20.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 RON 251

$17.21 ₽1,477

223.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 RON 40.43

$5.66 ₽486

58.13%

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

$423 RON 1,909

$173 ₽14.9K

144.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,032 RON 27.3K

$3,150 ₽270.4K

91.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 RON 344

$53.6 ₽4,595

42.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.21 RON 100

$37.24 ₽3,196

-40.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 RON 434

$97.3 ₽8,353

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 RON 449

$80.0 ₽6,861

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 RON 1,493

$391 ₽33.5K

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 RON 909

$286 ₽24.5K

-29.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,025

$872 ₽74.8K

-48.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 RON 1,519

$523 ₽44.9K

-35.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 RON 5,601

$2,663 ₽228.5K

-53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 RON 4,378

$1,627 ₽139.6K

-40.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 RON 3,493

$684 ₽58.7K

13.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.85

25.33

-69.01%

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

Last update for Calarasi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Calarasi versus $391 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 13% higher in Calarasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Calarasi versus $29.00 in Irkutsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $241 – 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: $901 in Calarasi, $919 in Irkutsk – roughly 2% apart. Irkutsk costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,352 per month in Calarasi and $1,378 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 $423 per month in Calarasi and $173 in Irkutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Irkutsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $901 in Calarasi and $919 in Irkutsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.