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: $1,141 in Iasi versus $876 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,746 in Iasi versus $1,406 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,351 in Iasi versus $1,937 in Baia Mare.

Living in Iasi is roughly 30% more expensive than in Baia Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 14% lower, Baia Mare 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$9.38 RON 42.66

12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$37.06 RON 168

37.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$7.10 RON 32.26

-4.93%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.11 RON 9.59

23.70%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$1.82 RON 8.26

9.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.29 RON 5.85

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$1.60 RON 7.25

56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$2.20 RON 10.02

53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.49 RON 6.79

-6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.22 RON 5.54

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.52 RON 6.91

19.74%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.34 RON 15.17

-2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$7.49 RON 34.04

8.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$5.93 RON 26.96

15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$8.71 RON 39.61

26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.21 RON 5.48

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.60 RON 7.25

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.68 RON 7.63

5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$2.12 RON 9.62

-9.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.77 RON 3.49

23.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$0.94 RON 4.29

7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.01 RON 4.59

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.79 RON 3.60

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.20 RON 23.66

18.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$5.05 RON 22.96

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.00 RON 4.53

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.86 RON 8.47

2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.71 RON 3.22

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$16.15 RON 73.4

71.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.72 RON 3.29

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.87 RON 3.95

-14.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$9.37 RON 42.61

-11.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.53 RON 6.94

8.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

1.66%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$26.2K RON 119.0K

4.05%

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

$157 RON 712

$114 RON 520

36.78%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$8.42 RON 38.28

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$11.49 RON 52.2

-15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$51.7 RON 235

-9.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$20.99 RON 95.4

-13.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$6.97 RON 31.69

17.07%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$435 RON 1,979

7.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$6,894 RON 31.3K

-0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$54.2 RON 247

15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$38.93 RON 177

12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$67.9 RON 309

23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$92.3 RON 420

-5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$284 RON 1,292

66.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$207 RON 943

73.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$537 RON 2,443

35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$401 RON 1,823

33.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$2,106 RON 9,574

40.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,463 RON 6,651

33.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$898 RON 4,081

30.11%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $284 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 30% 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: $51.0 in Iasi vs $37.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $194 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $474 in Iasi versus $284 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $469 in Iasi versus $435 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $876 in Baia Mare versus $1,141 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 30% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.