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: $1,275 in Iasi versus $924 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Iasi versus $1,448 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Iasi versus $1,972 in Baia Mare.

Living in Iasi is roughly 38% more expensive than in Baia Mare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 7% lower, Baia Mare 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$13.10 RON 60.0

-15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$34.03 RON 156

28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.72

$8.91 RON 40.83

-14.93%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.16

$2.19 RON 10.03

41.10%

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

$2.12 RON 9.70

$1.90 RON 8.69

11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.37

$1.44 RON 6.61

27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.19

$1.62 RON 7.44

104.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.68

$2.23 RON 10.24

73.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.59 RON 7.28

0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.44

$1.46 RON 6.70

-3.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.57 RON 7.20

34.39%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.85

$2.90 RON 13.29

19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$6.52 RON 29.87

27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.16

$7.17 RON 32.87

-11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.41

$11.17 RON 51.2

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$1.19 RON 5.44

16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.76

$1.62 RON 7.41

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.44 RON 6.59

20.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$2.80 RON 12.84

-19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$1.04 RON 4.76

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$1.16 RON 5.33

-18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$1.12 RON 5.14

8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.81 RON 3.70

28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.64

$6.74 RON 30.90

-4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.58

$4.89 RON 22.41

32.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.43

$1.09 RON 4.98

28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.80

$1.66 RON 7.62

28.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.68 RON 3.10

26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$15.55 RON 71.3

81.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.79 RON 3.60

10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$0.86 RON 3.93

5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.66

$6.12 RON 28.02

45.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.43

$1.73 RON 7.91

6.36%

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

$29.5K RON 135.3K

$29.8K RON 136.6K

-0.95%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$25.5K RON 117.0K

9.89%

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

$191 RON 873

$111 RON 509

71.53%

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

$7.41 RON 33.93

$16.04 RON 73.5

-53.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.72

$12.25 RON 56.1

-27.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$40.14 RON 184

16.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.4

$17.00 RON 77.9

-3.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.22

$10.26 RON 47.02

-16.57%

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

$416 RON 1,904

$557 RON 2,553

-25.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 33.9K

$5,636 RON 25.8K

31.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$38.53 RON 177

100.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$43.63 RON 200

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 440

$64.7 RON 296

48.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$77.7 RON 356

21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,541

$283 RON 1,298

95.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,059

$216 RON 990

107.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,240

$508 RON 2,325

82.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,170

$386 RON 1,766

79.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$2,083 RON 9,540

41.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,051

$1,494 RON 6,842

32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,275

$909 RON 4,162

26.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.48

-4.01%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Iasi and $283 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 27% 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: $44.00 in Iasi vs $34.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $211 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Iasi, 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: $555 in Iasi versus $283 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $416 in Iasi versus $557 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $924 in Baia Mare versus $1,275 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 38% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.