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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Iasi vs $1,024 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Iasi vs $1,576 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,282 per month in Iasi vs $2,129 in Barlad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 12% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iasi and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 RON 44.30

$9.70 RON 42.10

5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 RON 223

$45.51 RON 198

13.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 RON 29.47

$7.98 RON 34.64

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RON 11.48

$2.64 RON 11.47

0.38%

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

$2.03 RON 8.80

$2.00 RON 8.70

1.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.39

$1.76 RON 7.63

-3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.13

$2.27 RON 9.87

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 15.24

$2.74 RON 11.88

28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.21

$1.54 RON 6.67

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$1.23 RON 5.33

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.11

$1.73 RON 7.53

8.09%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 13.93

$3.39 RON 14.70

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 RON 34.48

$8.67 RON 37.63

-8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 RON 30.40

$6.76 RON 29.33

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 RON 46.89

$10.20 RON 44.27

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.34

$1.13 RON 4.92

8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.10

$1.54 RON 6.69

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.86

$1.60 RON 6.96

13.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.57

$1.93 RON 8.36

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 3.97

$0.83 RON 3.59

10.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.97 RON 4.21

7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.36

$0.87 RON 3.77

16.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.46

$0.77 RON 3.33

3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.34

$5.76 RON 25.01

9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 RON 30.09

$7.89 RON 34.26

-12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.76

$1.07 RON 4.63

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.28

$1.71 RON 7.40

11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.38

$0.70 RON 3.04

11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.04 RON 122

$19.64 RON 85.2

42.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$0.71 RON 3.09

32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.73 RON 3.19

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 RON 35.55

$6.81 RON 29.57

20.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.02

$1.53 RON 6.65

5.88%

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

$27.8K RON 120.7K

$28.3K RON 122.8K

-1.72%

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

$27.8K RON 120.6K

$27.2K RON 118.2K

2.02%

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

$157 RON 679

$152 RON 659

3.12%

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

$8.37 RON 36.32

$7.89 RON 34.24

6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 42.82

$9.04 RON 39.25

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.63 RON 202

$41.38 RON 180

12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 80.8

$19.08 RON 82.8

-2.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 34.02

$6.87 RON 29.81

14.12%

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

$476 RON 2,067

$424 RON 1,840

12.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,884 RON 29.9K

$7,014 RON 30.4K

-1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 RON 269

$67.3 RON 292

-7.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.85 RON 190

$38.54 RON 167

13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 RON 369

$75.4 RON 327

12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 RON 384

$93.8 RON 407

-5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 RON 2,024

$393 RON 1,705

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 RON 1,525

$295 RON 1,280

19.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 RON 3,225

$578 RON 2,510

28.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RON 2,371

$445 RON 1,933

22.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.6K

$2,024 RON 8,782

43.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,783 RON 7,740

$1,552 RON 6,737

14.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,163 RON 5,046

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.56

12.35%

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

Last update for Iasi: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Iasi versus $393 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 $51 in Iasi versus $46 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $211 – 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: $1,145 in Iasi, $1,024 in Barlad – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,717 per month in Iasi and $1,535 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 43% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Iasi and $424 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 $1,024, than in Iasi at $1,145. 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 $1,024 in Barlad to $1,145 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.