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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Calarasi vs $1,023 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,477 per month in Calarasi vs $1,714 in Irkutsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,964 per month in Calarasi vs $2,405 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Calarasi is about 3% cheaper than Irkutsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Irkutsk are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 26% lower, Irkutsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 RON 45.46

$8.30 ₽606

21.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.26 RON 123

$35.10 ₽2,562

-22.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 RON 34.86

$5.60 ₽409

37.68%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RON 11.97

$3.06 ₽223

-13.40%

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

$1.53 RON 6.92

$1.49 ₽109

2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$0.42 ₽30.99

326.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 RON 10.12

$1.55 ₽113

44.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.91

$2.58 ₽189

36.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.08

$1.39 ₽101

-3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 RON 4.91

$0.58 ₽42.11

87.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.98

$1.73 ₽126

2.31%

Eggs

$3.40 RON 15.35

$2.21 ₽161

53.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 RON 38.41

$14.94 ₽1,091

-43.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 RON 32.20

$6.36 ₽465

11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 RON 41.35

$12.60 ₽920

-27.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.31

$2.23 ₽163

-47.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.66

$2.50 ₽183

-41.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.02

$3.03 ₽221

-56.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.62

$4.70 ₽343

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 RON 3.37

$1.08 ₽78.6

-30.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.92 ₽67.0

3.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$2.16 ₽158

-67.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.72 ₽52.3

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 25.79

$3.75 ₽274

52.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 RON 20.27

$9.65 ₽704

-53.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$1.19 ₽87.1

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$2.38 ₽173

-40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 RON 2.03

$0.49 ₽36.02

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.09 RON 63.7

$9.99 ₽729

41.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$1.85 ₽135

-63.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.33 ₽24.07

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 RON 25.39

$4.68 ₽342

20.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.98

$0.82 ₽60.1

87.80%

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

$25.4K RON 114.7K

$29.6K ₽2.2M

-14.18%

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

$27.4K RON 123.9K

$25.6K ₽1.9M

7.05%

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

$148 RON 669

$95.9 ₽7,002

54.18%

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

$8.65 RON 39.09

$6.83 ₽499

26.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.62 RON 34.44

$9.34 ₽682

-18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 RON 310

$38.98 ₽2,845

75.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.52 RON 88.2

$14.31 ₽1,045

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 RON 26.77

$4.97 ₽363

19.11%

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

$424 RON 1,915

$282 ₽20.6K

50.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,966 RON 31.5K

$6,973 ₽509.0K

-0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 RON 367

$36.85 ₽2,689

120.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 RON 194

$38.60 ₽2,817

10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 RON 342

$102 ₽7,421

-25.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 RON 437

$105 ₽7,685

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,768

$551 ₽40.2K

-28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 RON 1,032

$331 ₽24.2K

-31.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,709

$1,165 ₽85.0K

-48.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 RON 1,666

$751 ₽54.8K

-50.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,236 RON 5,587

$3,153 ₽230.1K

-60.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$986 RON 4,458

$1,938 ₽141.4K

-49.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 RON 3,495

$816 ₽59.5K

-5.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Calarasi versus $551 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 $27.00 in Calarasi versus $35.00 in Irkutsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $264 – 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: $989 in Calarasi, $1,023 in Irkutsk – roughly 3% apart. Irkutsk costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,484 per month in Calarasi and $1,535 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 $424 per month in Calarasi and $282 in Irkutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $989, than in Irkutsk at $1,023. 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.