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: $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,123 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $1,706 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $2,288 in Iasi.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 1% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$10.49 RON 47.43

-14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$50.4 RON 228

-7.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$7.06 RON 31.91

13.17%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$2.61 RON 11.79

-0.77%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.09 RON 9.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.71 RON 7.75

9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$2.56 RON 11.58

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.36 RON 15.18

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.38 RON 6.25

9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.21 RON 5.49

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.88 RON 8.52

-9.04%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.26 RON 14.76

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$7.95 RON 35.97

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$6.69 RON 30.28

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$10.95 RON 49.51

-13.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.24 RON 5.62

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.55 RON 7.01

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.80 RON 8.12

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$1.97 RON 8.90

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.98 RON 4.45

5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.05 RON 4.77

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$1.01 RON 4.56

-20.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.80 RON 3.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$6.07 RON 27.45

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$6.70 RON 30.32

-10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.14 RON 5.14

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$1.97 RON 8.93

14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.79 RON 3.57

-15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$27.90 RON 126

-16.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.93 RON 4.21

-38.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.75 RON 3.41

10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$8.26 RON 37.38

-14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.68 RON 7.58

-4.17%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$28.3K RON 128.2K

-2.80%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$27.6K RON 124.6K

1.04%

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

$212 RON 957

$158 RON 717

33.59%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$8.26 RON 37.35

-2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$10.26 RON 46.40

12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$46.57 RON 211

-22.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$18.66 RON 84.4

0.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$8.14 RON 36.80

-17.81%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$462 RON 2,090

-5.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$6,957 RON 31.5K

28.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$63.1 RON 285

27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$43.17 RON 195

-15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$84.9 RON 384

-7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$88.8 RON 402

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$480 RON 2,170

-19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$362 RON 1,639

-15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$744 RON 3,366

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$550 RON 2,486

-18.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$2,956 RON 13.4K

-10.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$2,005 RON 9,071

2.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$1,181 RON 5,340

-15.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

7.37

-14.79%

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

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $480 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 18% 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: $46.00 in Craiova vs $50.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $211 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 1% 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, Iasi earns 18% less. 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: $387 in Craiova versus $480 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,115 per month in Craiova versus $1,123 in Iasi – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 20% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,123 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 $1,115 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 1% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.