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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Iasi vs $1,036 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,583 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in Iasi vs $2,131 in Barlad, rent included.

Iasi costs about 9% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iasi and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Barlad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 RON 47.13

$9.37 RON 42.97

9.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 RON 234

$45.54 RON 209

12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 RON 31.10

$8.11 RON 37.22

-16.40%

Cappuccino

$2.72 RON 12.49

$2.69 RON 12.34

1.12%

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

$2.11 RON 9.68

$1.95 RON 8.94

8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.78

$1.68 RON 7.70

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 RON 11.51

$2.25 RON 10.33

11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.93

$2.69 RON 12.32

29.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.30

$1.55 RON 7.10

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$1.24 RON 5.68

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.60

$1.67 RON 7.68

12.57%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.17

$3.38 RON 15.52

-8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 RON 37.50

$8.34 RON 38.28

-2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.87

$6.72 RON 30.83

3.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 RON 49.59

$10.44 RON 47.89

3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.71

$1.18 RON 5.42

5.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.22

$1.60 RON 7.34

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.25

$1.61 RON 7.38

11.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.64

$2.01 RON 9.21

-6.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.89 RON 4.10

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.79

$0.99 RON 4.56

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.82

$0.87 RON 3.99

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.80

$0.77 RON 3.54

7.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 RON 28.14

$5.90 RON 27.04

3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 RON 29.75

$7.17 RON 32.91

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.98

$1.08 RON 4.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.65 RON 7.55

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.72 RON 3.28

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.59 RON 127

$19.86 RON 91.1

38.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$0.78 RON 3.56

19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$0.70 RON 3.22

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 RON 36.62

$6.88 RON 31.55

15.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.74

$1.59 RON 7.31

6.29%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$28.1K RON 128.7K

1.68%

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

$27.9K RON 128.0K

$27.3K RON 125.5K

2.00%

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

$157 RON 719

$151 RON 692

3.85%

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

$8.46 RON 38.81

$8.30 RON 38.09

1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 RON 46.74

$8.94 RON 41.01

13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 RON 217

$40.77 RON 187

16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 RON 82.9

$19.45 RON 89.2

-7.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 RON 36.57

$7.06 RON 32.37

12.89%

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

$475 RON 2,180

$433 RON 1,988

9.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,939 RON 31.8K

$6,858 RON 31.5K

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$67.4 RON 309

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 RON 200

$38.67 RON 177

12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 386

$75.3 RON 345

11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 407

$91.7 RON 421

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 RON 2,208

$391 RON 1,796

22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,608

$287 RON 1,315

22.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,330

$591 RON 2,709

22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 RON 2,477

$443 RON 2,031

21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.6K

$1,722 RON 7,901

71.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 RON 8,882

$1,423 RON 6,530

36.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,143 RON 5,243

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Barlad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Iasi versus $391 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $210 – 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: $1,128 in Iasi, $1,036 in Barlad – roughly 9% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,691 per month in Iasi and $1,554 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 39% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $475 per month in Iasi and $433 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 $1,036, than in Iasi at $1,128. 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 $1,036 in Barlad to $1,128 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.