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: $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,157 in Iasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Craiova versus $1,741 in Iasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Craiova versus $2,326 in Iasi.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 4% less than in Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.43

$10.20 RON 44.35

-11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 RON 199

$51.7 RON 225

-11.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 35.97

$7.08 RON 30.80

16.81%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 10.81

$2.59 RON 11.28

-3.86%

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

$2.19 RON 9.51

$2.09 RON 9.08

4.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.54

$1.76 RON 7.66

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.30

$2.47 RON 10.74

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 RON 14.95

$3.50 RON 15.22

-1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.81

$1.38 RON 6.01

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RON 4.30

$1.26 RON 5.47

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.36

$1.79 RON 7.79

-5.59%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.57

$3.11 RON 13.54

7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 RON 33.51

$8.11 RON 35.29

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 29.18

$6.78 RON 29.50

-1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 RON 42.55

$11.07 RON 48.15

-11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.52

$1.17 RON 5.11

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.23

$1.63 RON 7.10

1.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.84

$1.81 RON 7.87

-13.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RON 7.92

$1.92 RON 8.33

-5.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.48

$1.00 RON 4.37

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.77

$1.02 RON 4.44

7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.69

$1.00 RON 4.37

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.30

$0.88 RON 3.81

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 25.89

$6.30 RON 27.41

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 27.60

$6.92 RON 30.12

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.46

$1.10 RON 4.78

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.53

$1.93 RON 8.38

13.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.08

$0.77 RON 3.37

-7.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.01 RON 100

$27.83 RON 121

-17.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$0.90 RON 3.90

-32.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.53

$0.74 RON 3.24

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 RON 29.89

$8.12 RON 35.31

-15.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.82

$1.67 RON 7.24

-5.99%

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

$27.9K RON 121.2K

$27.7K RON 120.6K

0.44%

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

$27.4K RON 119.1K

$27.6K RON 120.1K

-0.85%

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

$207 RON 900

$155 RON 675

33.35%

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

$7.90 RON 34.37

$8.32 RON 36.19

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 RON 51.1

$10.07 RON 43.82

16.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 RON 159

$46.91 RON 204

-22.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 80.4

$18.61 RON 80.9

-0.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 RON 29.36

$8.12 RON 35.31

-16.87%

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

$445 RON 1,936

$462 RON 2,012

-3.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 RON 38.5K

$6,992 RON 30.4K

26.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 RON 343

$62.7 RON 273

25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 RON 164

$42.85 RON 186

-11.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 342

$83.6 RON 364

-5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 RON 372

$89.0 RON 387

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,664

$467 RON 2,031

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,371

$354 RON 1,541

-11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,134

$722 RON 3,142

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,931

$551 RON 2,398

-19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 RON 11.9K

$2,903 RON 12.6K

-5.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 RON 9,112

$1,842 RON 8,015

13.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 RON 4,686

$1,134 RON 4,931

-4.97%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Iasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Craiova and $467 in Iasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 5% 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 $52.0 in Iasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $213 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, Iasi earns 5% 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: $382 in Craiova versus $467 in Iasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,106 per month in Craiova versus $1,157 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 21% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,157 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 $1,106 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.