Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cluj-Napoca and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,137 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca versus $1,720 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca versus $2,303 in Iasi.

Living in Cluj-Napoca is roughly 22% more expensive than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cluj-Napoca is 3% above, Iasi is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 52.2

$10.52 RON 47.60

9.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 263

$51.4 RON 233

13.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 RON 37.15

$6.73 RON 30.47

21.99%

Cappuccino

$3.37 RON 15.27

$2.68 RON 12.14

25.75%

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

$2.42 RON 10.94

$2.08 RON 9.39

16.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.91

$1.74 RON 7.88

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.72

$2.46 RON 11.12

32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.64

$3.42 RON 15.48

14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.40 RON 6.33

24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.04

$1.22 RON 5.51

9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.32

$1.87 RON 8.46

-1.60%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.66

$3.21 RON 14.51

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 RON 45.94

$7.95 RON 35.99

27.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.20

$6.70 RON 30.33

2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 RON 54.7

$10.99 RON 49.73

9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.57

$1.24 RON 5.61

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.62 RON 7.33

6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.73 RON 7.84

-10.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.53

$1.97 RON 8.90

18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$0.99 RON 4.48

3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.39

$1.05 RON 4.73

-7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.70

$1.04 RON 4.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.86 RON 3.89

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.56

$6.37 RON 28.85

2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 RON 35.92

$6.61 RON 29.92

20.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.10

$1.09 RON 4.95

3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.28

$1.98 RON 8.97

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.85 RON 3.84

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 RON 106

$27.13 RON 123

-14.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.89 RON 4.04

12.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.70 RON 3.17

27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 RON 42.76

$7.84 RON 35.49

20.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.66 RON 7.52

1.81%

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

$28.4K RON 128.8K

$28.5K RON 129.2K

-0.32%

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

$27.1K RON 122.5K

$27.3K RON 123.7K

-1.01%

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

$161 RON 731

$156 RON 708

3.23%

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

$9.19 RON 41.58

$8.47 RON 38.36

8.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.66 RON 43.71

$10.21 RON 46.23

-5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 RON 203

$47.10 RON 213

-4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 RON 89.9

$18.25 RON 82.6

8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 RON 37.35

$8.17 RON 37.00

0.98%

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

$491 RON 2,223

$463 RON 2,095

6.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.0K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

54.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 RON 321

$62.3 RON 282

13.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 RON 178

$42.79 RON 194

-7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 381

$86.4 RON 391

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 RON 450

$86.9 RON 393

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,133

$474 RON 2,147

45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,489

$361 RON 1,636

52.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 RON 5,632

$750 RON 3,396

65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 RON 4,180

$550 RON 2,492

67.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 RON 20.3K

$3,076 RON 13.9K

46.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 RON 15.1K

$1,997 RON 9,038

66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,239

$1,191 RON 5,390

15.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.37

-20.62%

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

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Cluj-Napoca and $474 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca vs $51.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $212 per month, with Iasi cheaper across the board.

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

Cluj-Napoca vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cluj-Napoca pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Cluj-Napoca versus $474 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 16% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cluj-Napoca versus $463 in Iasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iasi but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Iasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iasi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cluj-Napoca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cluj-Napoca and Iasi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.