Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Barlad Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Barlad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $1,037 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,604 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $2,171 in Barlad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 26% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.68

$10.64 RON 48.06

3.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$41.71 RON 188

5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.38

$7.50 RON 33.88

4.40%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.43

$2.67 RON 12.06

11.24%

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

$2.21 RON 9.99

$2.04 RON 9.23

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.67 RON 7.57

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.78

$2.14 RON 9.69

52.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.50

$2.58 RON 11.64

58.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.53

$1.40 RON 6.32

19.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.29 RON 5.83

10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.71

$1.41 RON 6.38

52.48%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.90

$3.10 RON 13.98

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.40

$7.41 RON 33.47

17.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.26

$6.52 RON 29.44

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.45

$10.62 RON 47.99

-3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.26 RON 5.69

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.45 RON 6.54

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.38 RON 6.23

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.21

$2.30 RON 10.39

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.78 RON 3.54

17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.78 RON 3.50

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.23

$0.85 RON 3.85

36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.94 RON 4.23

7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.82

$6.86 RON 31.00

-3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.81

$6.36 RON 28.71

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.35

$1.26 RON 5.69

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.97

$1.51 RON 6.82

46.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.52 RON 2.37

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$21.51 RON 97.2

32.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.75 RON 3.40

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.74 RON 3.35

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.31

$7.04 RON 31.82

26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.30

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

$30.1K RON 135.9K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

5.40%

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

$29.1K RON 131.6K

-0.03%

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

$192 RON 867

$165 RON 743

16.72%

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

$7.81 RON 35.28

$9.46 RON 42.73

-17.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.37

$9.15 RON 41.34

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$36.78 RON 166

25.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.1

$22.62 RON 102

-26.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.89

$7.18 RON 32.44

26.04%

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

$421 RON 1,903

$444 RON 2,008

-5.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$6,345 RON 28.7K

15.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$61.9 RON 280

22.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$42.63 RON 193

-4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$86.0 RON 388

11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 433

$76.7 RON 347

24.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,511

$354 RON 1,600

56.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,990

$328 RON 1,483

34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,137

$609 RON 2,753

50.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,154

$450 RON 2,033

55.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,862 RON 8,414

59.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,997

$1,415 RON 6,393

40.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,259

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.97

3.01%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $354 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi versus $42.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $204 – making Barlad 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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Iasi, $1,037 in Barlad – roughly 26% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,556 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Iasi and $444 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Iasi at $1,305. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Iasi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,037 in Barlad to $1,305 in Iasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Barlad. 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.