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: $1,305 in Iasi versus $966 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Iasi versus $1,474 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,499 in Iasi versus $1,981 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Iasi is roughly 35% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 5% lower, Alba Iulia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.65

$8.77 RON 39.61

25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$33.62 RON 152

30.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.36

$6.11 RON 27.57

28.15%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.42

$2.38 RON 10.74

24.79%

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

$2.21 RON 9.98

$1.81 RON 8.17

22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.57

$1.51 RON 6.83

25.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.77

$2.07 RON 9.34

57.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.49

$2.23 RON 10.06

83.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.30 RON 5.88

28.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.21 RON 5.48

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.70

$1.52 RON 6.88

41.45%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$2.87 RON 12.95

22.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.37

$8.20 RON 37.04

6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$6.46 RON 29.19

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.42

$11.33 RON 51.2

-9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$0.99 RON 4.45

41.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.37 RON 6.21

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.37 RON 6.17

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.20

$2.40 RON 10.82

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.74 RON 3.35

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.63 RON 2.83

49.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$0.90 RON 4.07

28.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.67 RON 3.03

50.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.80

$5.67 RON 25.58

16.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.79

$4.45 RON 20.11

48.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.18 RON 5.33

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.96

$1.35 RON 6.09

63.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.80 RON 3.60

11.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$17.49 RON 79.0

63.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.67 RON 3.00

26.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.70 RON 3.15

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.28

$4.78 RON 21.59

86.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.29

$1.64 RON 7.42

12.20%

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

$30.1K RON 135.8K

$29.6K RON 133.7K

1.61%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$25.3K RON 114.4K

14.95%

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

$192 RON 867

$131 RON 591

46.74%

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

$7.81 RON 35.26

$7.84 RON 35.38

-0.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.34

$9.42 RON 42.53

-5.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$30.99 RON 140

49.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.0

$32.48 RON 147

-48.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.86

$5.37 RON 24.24

68.53%

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

$421 RON 1,902

$472 RON 2,129

-10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$7,101 RON 32.1K

3.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$40.19 RON 181

87.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$24.56 RON 111

65.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$79.1 RON 357

20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 432

$66.9 RON 302

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,509

$312 RON 1,406

78.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,989

$295 RON 1,333

49.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,134

$633 RON 2,859

44.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,151

$495 RON 2,237

40.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,673 RON 7,554

77.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,991

$1,454 RON 6,563

36.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,255

$961 RON 4,337

21.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.97

3.01%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in Iasi and $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 21% 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: $44.00 in Iasi vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 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

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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Iasi, 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: $556 in Iasi versus $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Iasi versus $966 in Alba Iulia – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 63% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $966 in Alba Iulia versus $1,305 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 35% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.