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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $884 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $1,394 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $1,904 in Arad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 29% more than Arad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$9.32 RON 42.13

12.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$35.02 RON 158

46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$7.04 RON 31.82

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.30 RON 10.41

16.52%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.64 RON 7.39

26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.78 RON 8.03

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.04 RON 9.21

20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$2.77 RON 12.54

23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.52 RON 6.86

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.26 RON 5.69

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.52 RON 6.87

23.03%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$2.92 RON 13.22

9.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.11 RON 36.64

-1.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$4.28 RON 19.36

56.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$8.65 RON 39.08

27.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.18 RON 5.33

5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.52 RON 6.86

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.65 RON 7.46

4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$1.66 RON 7.50

18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.80 RON 3.62

23.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.91 RON 4.13

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$1.02 RON 4.60

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.92 RON 4.18

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.84 RON 26.38

9.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$6.23 RON 28.14

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$0.99 RON 4.49

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.59 RON 7.19

24.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.95 RON 4.30

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$23.51 RON 106

15.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.85 RON 3.86

4.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.87 RON 3.92

-19.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$8.98 RON 40.57

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.57 RON 7.07

5.73%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$28.1K RON 127.0K

1.56%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$26.6K RON 120.3K

2.72%

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

$156 RON 707

$111 RON 504

40.29%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$8.40 RON 37.98

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$7.84 RON 35.46

30.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$38.80 RON 175

21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$23.06 RON 104

-20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$5.67 RON 25.62

44.09%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$228 RON 1,032

102.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$6,887 RON 31.1K

2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$40.72 RON 184

52.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$38.66 RON 175

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$79.9 RON 361

8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$69.5 RON 314

25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$320 RON 1,445

48.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$221 RON 1,000

63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$564 RON 2,550

32.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$429 RON 1,938

28.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,484 RON 6,706

107.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,097 RON 4,958

82.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$882 RON 3,986

35.04%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $320 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 35% 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $187 – 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 29% 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 $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,326 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 $51.0 in Iasi and $35.00 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 $1,137 in Iasi and $884 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 $884, than in Iasi at $1,137. 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 $884 versus $1,137 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.