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: $1,156 in Iasi versus $941 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,753 in Iasi versus $1,435 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,350 in Iasi versus $1,928 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Iasi is roughly 23% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 13% lower, Alba Iulia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.66

$9.30 RON 42.64

11.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 236

$34.22 RON 157

50.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.64

$6.24 RON 28.62

14.10%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.08

$2.53 RON 11.62

3.95%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.89 RON 8.68

11.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.63 RON 7.48

4.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.34

$2.17 RON 9.97

13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.25 RON 10.32

49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.39 RON 6.38

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$1.26 RON 5.77

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.65

$1.57 RON 7.22

20.38%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.15

$3.07 RON 14.06

0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.26

$8.32 RON 38.18

-2.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.76

$6.58 RON 30.19

5.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.90

$11.68 RON 53.6

-6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$1.01 RON 4.65

21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.13

$1.43 RON 6.55

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.39 RON 6.38

23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$2.44 RON 11.19

-21.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$0.84 RON 3.84

11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$0.64 RON 2.95

56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.87 RON 4.01

14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.71 RON 3.26

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.78

$5.73 RON 26.27

9.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.29

$4.31 RON 19.76

48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.10 RON 5.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.82

$1.41 RON 6.46

36.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.78 RON 3.56

1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$17.17 RON 78.8

62.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$0.76 RON 3.51

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.74 RON 3.41

-4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.33

$5.09 RON 23.33

59.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$1.52 RON 6.96

10.53%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$27.7K RON 126.9K

3.07%

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

$27.7K RON 127.1K

$28.3K RON 129.9K

-2.12%

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

$157 RON 718

$138 RON 635

13.10%

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

$8.51 RON 39.04

$7.83 RON 35.92

8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.05

$9.00 RON 41.26

14.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$32.27 RON 148

46.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.8

$35.05 RON 161

-47.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.71

$5.57 RON 25.56

43.63%

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

$471 RON 2,158

$450 RON 2,066

4.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$6,467 RON 29.7K

6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$42.67 RON 196

42.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$26.13 RON 120

66.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$84.5 RON 388

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$70.2 RON 322

24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,170

$317 RON 1,454

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,647

$274 RON 1,259

30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,402

$538 RON 2,469

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,446

$443 RON 2,030

20.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,675 RON 7,683

73.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,861

$1,415 RON 6,490

36.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,421

$944 RON 4,330

25.19%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Iasi and $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 25% 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: $52.0 in Iasi vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $473 in Iasi versus $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,156 per month in Iasi versus $941 in Alba Iulia – a 23% 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 $941 in Alba Iulia versus $1,156 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 23% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.