Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Baia Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Baia Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,157 in Iasi versus $894 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Iasi versus $1,405 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,326 in Iasi versus $1,917 in Baia Mare.

Living in Iasi is roughly 29% more expensive than Baia Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 14% lower, Baia Mare 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 RON 44.45

$9.40 RON 41.00

8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 RON 225

$37.34 RON 163

38.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 RON 30.87

$6.80 RON 29.63

4.12%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.30

$2.12 RON 9.24

22.17%

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

$2.09 RON 9.10

$1.72 RON 7.52

21.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.68

$1.29 RON 5.61

36.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 10.77

$1.60 RON 6.97

54.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.26

$2.22 RON 9.68

57.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.52 RON 6.63

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.48

$1.22 RON 5.32

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.81

$1.58 RON 6.89

13.29%

Eggs

$3.11 RON 13.57

$3.35 RON 14.62

-7.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 35.38

$7.64 RON 33.29

6.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$5.98 RON 26.08

13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RON 48.26

$8.87 RON 38.68

24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.12

$1.22 RON 5.33

-4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.12

$1.53 RON 6.67

6.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.89

$1.72 RON 7.51

5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.35

$2.16 RON 9.40

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.78 RON 3.39

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.45

$0.88 RON 3.83

15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$1.05 RON 4.58

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.82

$0.80 RON 3.49

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.47

$5.17 RON 22.56

21.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 RON 30.19

$4.94 RON 21.55

40.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.80

$1.04 RON 4.54

5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.40

$1.84 RON 8.03

4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$0.67 RON 2.93

14.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.83 RON 121

$16.29 RON 71.0

70.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$0.76 RON 3.32

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.24

$0.81 RON 3.53

-8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 RON 35.39

$9.07 RON 39.54

-10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$1.53 RON 6.65

9.15%

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

$27.7K RON 120.9K

$28.4K RON 124.0K

-2.52%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$26.7K RON 116.3K

3.55%

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

$155 RON 676

$116 RON 508

33.23%

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

$8.32 RON 36.28

$8.84 RON 38.53

-5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 43.93

$11.30 RON 49.27

-10.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 205

$50.8 RON 221

-7.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 81.1

$21.02 RON 91.7

-11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 RON 35.39

$6.87 RON 29.95

18.20%

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

$462 RON 2,016

$424 RON 1,849

9.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,992 RON 30.5K

$6,879 RON 30.0K

1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 RON 273

$52.8 RON 230

18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 RON 187

$37.98 RON 166

12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 364

$69.9 RON 305

19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 388

$93.5 RON 408

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,036

$282 RON 1,229

65.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,545

$207 RON 901

71.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 RON 3,150

$535 RON 2,334

34.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 RON 2,403

$412 RON 1,797

33.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.7K

$2,374 RON 10.3K

22.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 RON 8,033

$1,632 RON 7,114

12.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,942

$906 RON 3,949

25.15%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Iasi and $282 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Iasi vs $37.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $196 per month, with Baia Mare cheaper across the board.

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 Baia Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baia Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iasi pays 25% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Iasi versus $282 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $462 in Iasi versus $424 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $894 in Baia Mare versus $1,157 in Iasi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baia Mare but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Baia Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iasi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iasi and Baia Mare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.