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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Iasi costs about 28% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$11.74 RON 53.9

-11.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$45.80 RON 210

12.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$8.16 RON 37.44

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$2.30 RON 10.56

14.35%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$2.20 RON 10.12

-4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.86 RON 8.52

-8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$2.32 RON 10.65

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$3.54 RON 16.27

-5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.34 RON 6.17

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$0.84 RON 3.86

45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.71 RON 7.86

10.53%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.67 RON 16.83

-15.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$8.33 RON 38.25

-2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.22 RON 28.54

11.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$9.10 RON 41.78

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.26 RON 5.80

-2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.62 RON 7.44

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.73 RON 7.95

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.83 RON 8.39

4.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.93 RON 4.28

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$0.83 RON 3.83

20.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.71 RON 3.25

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.74 RON 3.38

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$5.85 RON 26.87

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$6.58 RON 30.19

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$0.87 RON 3.99

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$1.34 RON 6.14

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.63 RON 2.89

25.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$32.12 RON 147

-12.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.62 RON 2.86

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.64 RON 2.95

10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$7.44 RON 34.15

9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.60 RON 7.34

5.00%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$28.3K RON 129.8K

0.88%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$26.7K RON 122.4K

3.98%

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

$157 RON 718

$116 RON 532

35.00%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$8.53 RON 39.17

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$5.26 RON 24.16

95.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$24.94 RON 115

89.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$23.39 RON 107

-20.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$6.81 RON 31.25

17.47%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$654 RON 3,004

-28.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$5,516 RON 25.3K

24.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$90.4 RON 415

-32.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$35.38 RON 162

23.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$63.7 RON 292

36.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$99.0 RON 455

-11.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$325 RON 1,493

45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$183 RON 840

96.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$501 RON 2,301

47.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$366 RON 1,679

45.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,828 RON 8,389

59.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$1,217 RON 5,586

58.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$1,022 RON 4,691

15.66%

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 Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi versus $325 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 16% 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 $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $195 – 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 28%, 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 $1,734 per month in Iasi and $1,357 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 $52.0 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 $1,156 in Iasi and $905 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 $905, than in Iasi at $1,156. 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.