Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Arad Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Arad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $878 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,385 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $1,893 in Arad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 32% more than Arad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$9.18 RON 42.13

13.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$33.99 RON 156

51.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$6.84 RON 31.39

4.09%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$2.27 RON 10.42

15.86%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.56 RON 7.18

35.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.75 RON 8.05

-2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$2.09 RON 9.57

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$2.70 RON 12.40

24.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.50 RON 6.89

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.22 RON 5.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.54 RON 7.06

22.73%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$2.94 RON 13.50

5.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$7.87 RON 36.14

3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$4.32 RON 19.83

60.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$8.78 RON 40.29

23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.21 RON 5.53

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.59 RON 7.32

-2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.73 RON 7.92

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.69 RON 7.78

13.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.77 RON 3.55

22.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$0.87 RON 3.99

14.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$1.06 RON 4.85

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.86 RON 3.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$5.74 RON 26.33

9.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$5.29 RON 24.29

20.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.03 RON 4.75

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$1.64 RON 7.53

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.91 RON 4.17

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$23.47 RON 108

19.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.90 RON 4.14

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.87 RON 3.97

-18.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$9.34 RON 42.89

-12.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.57 RON 7.20

7.01%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$28.4K RON 130.5K

0.28%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$26.8K RON 122.9K

3.56%

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

$157 RON 718

$108 RON 498

44.41%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$8.55 RON 39.25

-0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$7.65 RON 35.10

34.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$38.59 RON 177

22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$23.10 RON 106

-19.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$5.79 RON 26.59

38.17%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$227 RON 1,041

107.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$6,930 RON 31.8K

-0.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$39.65 RON 182

53.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$38.74 RON 178

12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$80.7 RON 371

7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$70.1 RON 322

24.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$317 RON 1,457

49.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$216 RON 990

66.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$565 RON 2,594

31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$437 RON 2,004

22.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,456 RON 6,685

99.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$1,105 RON 5,074

74.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$847 RON 3,889

39.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.5

13.38%

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

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Arad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi versus $317 in Arad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi versus $34.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $185 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 32% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,734 per month in Iasi and $1,316 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi and $34.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,156 in Iasi and $878 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $878 versus $1,156 in Iasi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.