Cost of Living Comparison Between Carei and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Carei and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in Carei vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,559 per month in Carei vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,098 per month in Carei vs $2,350 in Iasi, rent included.

Carei is about 12% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Carei and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Carei 24% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.65 RON 44.04

$10.39 RON 47.44

-7.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.02 RON 210

$51.6 RON 235

-10.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 RON 36.39

$7.12 RON 32.48

11.94%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.25

$2.63 RON 12.03

1.90%

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

$1.98 RON 9.04

$2.11 RON 9.62

-6.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.71 RON 7.81

-1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.41

$2.47 RON 11.28

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 RON 12.78

$3.36 RON 15.34

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.97

$1.43 RON 6.52

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 RON 5.36

$1.22 RON 5.55

-3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.87

$1.89 RON 8.61

-8.99%

Eggs

$3.38 RON 15.42

$3.09 RON 14.08

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.82

$8.12 RON 37.08

7.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.87

$6.93 RON 31.62

-5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 RON 47.92

$10.88 RON 49.67

-3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.17

$1.23 RON 5.62

-8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.28

$1.55 RON 7.10

2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.27

$1.71 RON 7.81

-7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.04

$1.92 RON 8.75

3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.80

$0.94 RON 4.28

-11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.53

$1.00 RON 4.58

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.89

$1.00 RON 4.56

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.83

$0.86 RON 3.92

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 RON 27.26

$6.28 RON 28.65

-4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 RON 27.23

$6.39 RON 29.15

-6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.88

$1.10 RON 5.01

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.75

$1.92 RON 8.78

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.10

$0.79 RON 3.63

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.42 RON 88.6

$27.96 RON 128

-30.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.94 RON 4.28

-18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.42

$0.71 RON 3.24

5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 RON 31.79

$8.14 RON 37.15

-14.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.35

$1.68 RON 7.66

-4.17%

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

$27.8K RON 126.7K

$28.5K RON 130.2K

-2.65%

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

$27.1K RON 123.8K

$27.7K RON 126.5K

-2.17%

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

$151 RON 688

$157 RON 714

-3.67%

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

$7.94 RON 36.24

$8.51 RON 38.86

-6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.97 RON 40.93

$10.26 RON 46.83

-12.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 RON 191

$47.27 RON 216

-11.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.90 RON 86.3

$18.50 RON 84.5

2.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 RON 32.47

$8.00 RON 36.53

-11.12%

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

$425 RON 1,942

$471 RON 2,148

-9.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 RON 31.0K

$6,866 RON 31.3K

-0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 RON 310

$61.0 RON 278

11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 RON 176

$43.56 RON 199

-11.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 RON 337

$86.8 RON 396

-15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 RON 416

$87.5 RON 399

4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,801

$473 RON 2,160

-16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 RON 1,315

$359 RON 1,640

-19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,675

$742 RON 3,386

-21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 RON 1,984

$533 RON 2,434

-18.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,944 RON 8,875

$2,911 RON 13.3K

-33.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 RON 6,506

$1,932 RON 8,820

-26.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

7.37

-10.99%

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

Last update for Carei: July 14, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Carei versus $473 in Iasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Carei versus $52.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $211 – making Carei 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

Carei vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 13% more than Carei, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,529 per month in Carei and $1,734 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Iasi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Carei and $52.0 in Iasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Carei, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Carei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Carei costs $1,019 versus $1,156 in Iasi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Carei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.