Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Iasi costs about 25% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$11.60 RON 52.5

-9.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$45.83 RON 207

12.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$8.27 RON 37.38

-18.62%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.32 RON 10.47

15.52%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$2.18 RON 9.85

-4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.83 RON 8.28

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.26 RON 10.24

8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$3.64 RON 16.45

-6.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.37 RON 6.20

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.89 RON 4.03

37.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.72 RON 7.75

8.72%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.79 RON 17.12

-15.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.37 RON 37.84

-5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.14 RON 27.73

9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$9.44 RON 42.69

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.25 RON 5.66

-0.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.57 RON 7.10

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.74 RON 7.85

-0.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$1.93 RON 8.70

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.90 RON 4.09

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.84 RON 3.81

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.67 RON 3.03

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.79 RON 3.55

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.69 RON 25.71

11.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$6.72 RON 30.37

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$0.88 RON 3.97

23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.34 RON 6.07

47.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.63 RON 2.85

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$31.81 RON 144

-14.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.61 RON 2.77

45.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.60 RON 2.71

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$7.71 RON 34.85

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.58 RON 7.14

5.06%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

1.50%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

2.13%

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

$156 RON 707

$114 RON 516

37.08%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$8.19 RON 37.03

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$5.23 RON 23.62

95.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$25.17 RON 114

87.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$23.37 RON 106

-21.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$6.77 RON 30.61

20.68%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$654 RON 2,958

-29.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$5,513 RON 24.9K

27.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$90.4 RON 409

-31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$35.64 RON 161

20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$62.4 RON 282

38.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$98.2 RON 444

-11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$321 RON 1,449

48.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$187 RON 844

93.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$507 RON 2,290

48.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$368 RON 1,662

49.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,893 RON 8,559

62.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,242 RON 5,612

60.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$1,020 RON 4,609

16.79%

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 Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $321 in Bacau. 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 17% 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 $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $198 – making Bacau 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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Iasi is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,368 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau. 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 $912 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Iasi at $1,137. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacau. 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.