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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in Iasi versus $962 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Iasi versus $1,464 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Iasi versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Iasi is roughly 18% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 15% lower, Alba Iulia 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$9.07 RON 41.02

15.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$34.38 RON 155

49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$6.27 RON 28.34

7.34%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.41 RON 10.89

11.20%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.90 RON 8.57

9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.64 RON 7.42

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.25 RON 10.18

9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$2.31 RON 10.45

48.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.37 RON 6.17

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.24 RON 5.61

-1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.63 RON 7.38

14.72%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.04 RON 13.74

5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.64 RON 39.05

-7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.62 RON 29.91

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$11.88 RON 53.7

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$0.98 RON 4.42

26.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.42 RON 6.44

14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.36 RON 6.16

27.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$2.39 RON 10.81

-17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.78 RON 3.54

26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.61 RON 2.75

72.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.87 RON 3.95

19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.66 RON 2.99

30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.83 RON 26.37

9.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$4.32 RON 19.51

53.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.14 RON 5.16

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.34 RON 6.08

47.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.83 RON 3.76

2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$17.22 RON 77.8

57.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.71 RON 3.19

25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.77 RON 3.46

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$5.21 RON 23.54

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.52 RON 6.88

9.21%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$28.0K RON 126.7K

1.79%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$27.3K RON 123.4K

0.15%

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

$156 RON 707

$137 RON 619

14.13%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$8.11 RON 36.66

4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$9.06 RON 40.94

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$31.74 RON 144

48.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$34.20 RON 155

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$5.42 RON 24.50

50.74%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$454 RON 2,050

2.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$6,512 RON 29.4K

7.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$42.24 RON 191

47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$26.28 RON 119

62.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$81.6 RON 369

5.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$70.1 RON 317

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$323 RON 1,460

46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$273 RON 1,233

32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$550 RON 2,485

36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$451 RON 2,039

22.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,683 RON 7,606

82.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,471 RON 6,650

35.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$958 RON 4,331

24.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

7.7

-4.29%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 24% 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: $51.0 in Iasi vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $202 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

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

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iasi pays 24% 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: $474 in Iasi versus $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,137 per month in Iasi versus $962 in Alba Iulia – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 58% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $962 in Alba Iulia versus $1,137 in Iasi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Iasi 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 18% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.