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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $929 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,459 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $1,990 in Arad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 40% more than Arad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Iasi and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Arad 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.67

$8.62 RON 38.94

27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$34.56 RON 156

27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.37

$7.85 RON 35.47

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.43

$2.67 RON 12.08

11.24%

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

$2.21 RON 9.98

$1.57 RON 7.07

40.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.68 RON 7.60

13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.78

$2.25 RON 10.18

45.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.50

$2.57 RON 11.61

59.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.18 RON 5.35

41.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.25 RON 5.66

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.71

$1.76 RON 7.94

22.16%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.90

$2.83 RON 12.78

24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.39

$7.35 RON 33.22

18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.25

$4.99 RON 22.54

29.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.44

$10.88 RON 49.13

-5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.78 RON 8.02

-21.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.83 RON 8.28

-10.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.80 RON 8.15

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.21

$1.50 RON 6.77

50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.83 RON 3.74

10.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.91 RON 4.11

3.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$1.29 RON 5.83

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.82 RON 3.70

23.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.82

$6.03 RON 27.23

9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.80

$5.95 RON 26.89

10.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.25 RON 5.66

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.96

$1.80 RON 8.15

22.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.97 RON 4.40

-8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$30.73 RON 139

-7.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.90 RON 4.08

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$1.09 RON 4.90

-22.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.30

$11.23 RON 50.7

-20.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.29

$1.82 RON 8.24

1.10%

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

$30.1K RON 135.9K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

5.78%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$26.0K RON 117.7K

11.78%

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

$192 RON 867

$132 RON 594

45.96%

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

$7.81 RON 35.27

$8.77 RON 39.60

-10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.36

$7.61 RON 34.39

17.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$36.43 RON 165

27.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.0

$33.75 RON 152

-50.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.88

$5.39 RON 24.35

67.90%

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

$421 RON 1,903

$167 RON 753

152.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$4,022 RON 18.2K

82.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$44.82 RON 202

68.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$22.22 RON 100

82.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$73.2 RON 330

30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 433

$76.7 RON 346

24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,510

$349 RON 1,579

59.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,990

$235 RON 1,061

87.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,136

$556 RON 2,513

64.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,153

$436 RON 1,969

60.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,516 RON 6,845

95.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,995

$1,092 RON 4,930

82.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,257

$956 RON 4,320

21.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.35

-2.31%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $349 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 22% 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $198 – 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 40% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,394 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 $44.00 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 $1,305 in Iasi and $929 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 $929, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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 $929 versus $1,305 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.