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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,047 per month in Carei vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,567 per month in Carei vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Carei vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Carei is about 8% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Carei and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Carei 22% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 RON 43.15

$10.52 RON 47.54

-9.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 RON 205

$51.4 RON 232

-11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 RON 35.69

$6.73 RON 30.43

17.24%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.95

$2.68 RON 12.12

-1.49%

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

$1.93 RON 8.74

$2.08 RON 9.38

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.57

$1.74 RON 7.87

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 RON 10.52

$2.46 RON 11.11

-5.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.56

$3.42 RON 15.45

-18.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$1.40 RON 6.33

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$1.22 RON 5.51

-3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.63

$1.87 RON 8.44

-9.63%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.17

$3.21 RON 14.49

4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 RON 38.77

$7.95 RON 35.94

7.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 RON 29.52

$6.70 RON 30.28

-2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 RON 47.71

$10.99 RON 49.66

-4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.11

$1.24 RON 5.60

-8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.17

$1.62 RON 7.32

-1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.02

$1.73 RON 7.83

-10.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.71

$1.97 RON 8.89

-2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.99 RON 4.47

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.05 RON 4.73

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$1.04 RON 4.68

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$0.86 RON 3.89

-10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.56

$6.37 RON 28.81

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 RON 31.64

$6.61 RON 29.88

5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$1.09 RON 4.95

-6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.67

$1.98 RON 8.95

-14.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.85 RON 3.83

-21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.50 RON 88.1

$27.13 RON 123

-28.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.89 RON 4.03

-19.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.70 RON 3.16

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.12 RON 32.17

$7.84 RON 35.44

-9.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.94

$1.66 RON 7.51

-7.83%

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

$27.7K RON 125.3K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-2.87%

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

$26.8K RON 121.0K

$27.3K RON 123.6K

-2.10%

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

$151 RON 681

$156 RON 707

-3.59%

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

$8.28 RON 37.45

$8.47 RON 38.31

-2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.85 RON 40.00

$10.21 RON 46.17

-13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 RON 185

$47.10 RON 213

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.57 RON 88.5

$18.25 RON 82.5

7.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 RON 31.72

$8.17 RON 36.95

-14.08%

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

$431 RON 1,946

$463 RON 2,093

-7.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,052 RON 31.9K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 RON 307

$62.3 RON 282

8.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.20 RON 177

$42.79 RON 193

-8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 RON 332

$86.4 RON 390

-15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 RON 413

$86.9 RON 393

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 RON 1,753

$474 RON 2,144

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 RON 1,323

$361 RON 1,634

-19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,709

$750 RON 3,391

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 RON 1,959

$550 RON 2,488

-21.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 RON 8,460

$3,076 RON 13.9K

-39.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,362 RON 6,159

$1,997 RON 9,025

-31.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Carei versus $474 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 $45.00 in Carei versus $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $212 – 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 9% 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 $1,571 per month in Carei and $1,706 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 $45.00 in Carei and $51.0 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 $1,047, than in Iasi at $1,137. 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 $1,047 versus $1,137 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.