Cost of Living Comparison Between Donegal and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Donegal and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,953 in Donegal versus $966 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,811 in Donegal versus $1,474 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,668 in Donegal versus $1,981 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Donegal is roughly 102% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Donegal is 42% above, Alba Iulia is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 €13.11

$8.77 RON 39.77

73.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €76.4

$33.62 RON 152

163.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 €6.12

$6.11 RON 27.69

16.20%

Cappuccino

$3.16 €2.73

$2.38 RON 10.78

32.77%

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

$1.70 €1.46

$1.81 RON 8.20

-6.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.51 RON 6.85

-21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.48 €6.45

$2.07 RON 9.38

261.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.88

$2.23 RON 10.11

205.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.30 RON 5.91

33.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.21 RON 5.50

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.52 RON 6.90

23.68%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.98

$2.87 RON 13.01

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 €6.92

$8.20 RON 37.20

-2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 €11.50

$6.46 RON 29.31

106.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 €11.82

$11.33 RON 51.4

21.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.03

$0.99 RON 4.47

137.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.37 RON 6.23

20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.37 RON 6.19

3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 €3.72

$2.40 RON 10.86

79.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 €1.21

$0.74 RON 3.36

89.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$0.63 RON 2.84

361.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.16

$0.90 RON 4.08

48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.67 RON 3.04

214.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.88 €18.87

$5.67 RON 25.69

285.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.75 €15.31

$4.45 RON 20.19

298.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 €2.70

$1.18 RON 5.35

165.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.51

$1.35 RON 6.12

115.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.49 RON 79.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.97

$0.67 RON 3.02

759.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.70 RON 3.16

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.4

$4.78 RON 21.68

1341.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.64 RON 7.45

27.44%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$29.6K RON 134.2K

35.13%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$25.3K RON 114.8K

57.22%

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

$174 €150

$131 RON 593

32.61%

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

$21.58 €18.62

$7.84 RON 35.53

175.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.13 €39.78

$9.42 RON 42.71

389.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 €50.9

$30.99 RON 141

90.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.48 RON 147

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 €10.04

$5.37 RON 24.34

116.76%

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

$868 €748

$472 RON 2,138

84.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,293 €1,978

$7,101 RON 32.2K

-67.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 €64.2

$40.19 RON 182

85.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.07 €32.84

$24.56 RON 111

55.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 €74.3

$79.1 RON 359

8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 €84.8

$66.9 RON 303

46.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 €984

$312 RON 1,412

266.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 €738

$295 RON 1,338

189.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 €1,475

$633 RON 2,871

170.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 €1,113

$495 RON 2,246

160.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 €1,513

$1,673 RON 7,586

4.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,141 €984

$1,454 RON 6,591

-21.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,418 €3,811

$961 RON 4,356

359.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

6.97

-48.35%

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

Last update for Donegal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,140 in Donegal and $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Donegal pays 360% 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: $89.0 in Donegal vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $197 per month, with Alba Iulia 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

Donegal vs Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 360% higher in Donegal, 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: $1,140 in Donegal versus $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Donegal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,953 per month in Donegal versus $966 in Alba Iulia – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Alba Iulia versus $1,953 in Donegal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Donegal. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Donegal and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Donegal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.