Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,275 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Craiova versus $1,920 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,331 in Craiova versus $2,564 in Iasi.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 4% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 11% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 RON 34.28

$11.03 RON 50.6

-32.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.52 RON 172

$43.78 RON 201

-14.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 RON 35.45

$7.58 RON 34.78

1.98%

Cappuccino

$2.87 RON 13.18

$3.09 RON 14.18

-7.12%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$2.12 RON 9.72

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.73

$1.83 RON 8.38

3.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 RON 11.26

$3.32 RON 15.21

-26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.58

$3.86 RON 17.71

-6.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 RON 6.06

$1.60 RON 7.32

-17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.22

$1.41 RON 6.45

-34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.86

$2.11 RON 9.69

-28.91%

Eggs

$3.44 RON 15.77

$3.46 RON 15.88

-0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.60

$8.31 RON 38.11

-9.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.73

$6.37 RON 29.21

5.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 RON 53.5

$10.13 RON 46.48

15.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.79

$1.39 RON 6.36

-25.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.69 RON 7.77

-10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.73 RON 7.92

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.71

$2.25 RON 10.33

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.88 RON 4.02

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.94 RON 4.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 RON 3.51

$1.22 RON 5.59

-36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$1.04 RON 4.75

-28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 RON 30.75

$6.47 RON 29.69

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$6.46 RON 29.63

4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 RON 5.44

$1.40 RON 6.45

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 7.36

$2.14 RON 9.82

-25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$0.86 RON 3.95

3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.08 RON 120

$28.18 RON 129

-7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$0.87 RON 3.98

-27.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.91

$0.91 RON 4.16

-29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 RON 30.37

$8.88 RON 40.73

-25.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 RON 8.61

$1.84 RON 8.44

2.17%

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

$29.6K RON 136.0K

$29.5K RON 135.5K

0.36%

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

$27.3K RON 125.1K

$28.1K RON 128.8K

-2.86%

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

$206 RON 947

$191 RON 875

8.20%

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

$10.52 RON 48.28

$7.41 RON 33.98

41.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 RON 53.6

$8.89 RON 40.78

31.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 RON 190

$46.83 RON 215

-11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.75 RON 104

$16.46 RON 75.5

38.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 RON 36.28

$8.56 RON 39.28

-7.59%

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

$441 RON 2,025

$416 RON 1,907

6.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 RON 39.9K

$7,400 RON 34.0K

17.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 RON 270

$77.4 RON 355

-24.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 RON 228

$40.07 RON 184

24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 RON 379

$96.0 RON 441

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$94.7 RON 434

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 RON 2,460

$555 RON 2,545

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 RON 1,840

$449 RON 2,062

-10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 RON 4,225

$926 RON 4,247

-0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 RON 2,836

$692 RON 3,175

-10.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 RON 12.7K

$2,950 RON 13.5K

-6.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,050 RON 9,407

$1,976 RON 9,065

3.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 RON 4,500

$1,152 RON 5,284

-14.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

7.18

-4.74%

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

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Craiova and $555 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 17% 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: $38.00 in Craiova vs $44.00 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $221 per month, with Craiova 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

Craiova vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Iasi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Iasi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $536 in Craiova versus $555 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,219 per month in Craiova versus $1,275 in Iasi – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 8% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,275 in Iasi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,219 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.