Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bistrita Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bistrita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Iasi vs $914 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Iasi vs $1,444 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Iasi vs $1,974 in Bistrita, rent included.

Iasi costs about 25% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Bistrita are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Bistrita 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$7.31 RON 33.23

44.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$46.41 RON 211

9.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$7.02 RON 31.92

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.69 RON 12.22

-2.97%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$1.54 RON 6.99

29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.34 RON 6.11

25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$2.84 RON 12.89

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$2.80 RON 12.72

20.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.44 RON 6.56

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.27 RON 5.78

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.18 RON 5.36

54.24%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.36 RON 15.29

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$6.73 RON 30.61

20.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.27 RON 28.49

9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$9.01 RON 40.96

22.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.17 RON 5.31

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.56 RON 7.11

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.68 RON 7.62

5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$2.14 RON 9.75

-10.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.75 RON 3.41

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$0.68 RON 3.09

48.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.01 RON 4.60

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.87 RON 3.95

-1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.23 RON 23.77

18.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$8.28 RON 37.65

-20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.02 RON 4.65

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.16 RON 5.28

63.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.44 RON 1.99

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$23.00 RON 105

20.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.61 RON 2.75

44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.65 RON 2.97

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$6.86 RON 31.18

20.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.53 RON 6.96

8.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.4K RON 129.1K

0.29%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$26.6K RON 121.1K

2.26%

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

$157 RON 712

$143 RON 649

9.68%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$7.82 RON 35.57

6.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$6.97 RON 31.67

39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$46.56 RON 212

0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$34.13 RON 155

-46.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$6.95 RON 31.59

17.41%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$429 RON 1,952

9.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$67.4 RON 307

-7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$34.53 RON 157

26.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$68.8 RON 313

22.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$94.8 RON 431

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$239 RON 1,087

98.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$201 RON 915

79.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$422 RON 1,918

73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$331 RON 1,504

61.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$1,549 RON 7,044

90.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,206 RON 5,485

61.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$1,063 RON 4,832

9.90%

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 Bistrita: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $239 in Bistrita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Bistrita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $199 – making Bistrita 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 Bistrita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 25% more than Bistrita, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Iasi and $1,371 in Bistrita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Iasi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Iasi and $46.00 in Bistrita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bistrita, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Iasi at $1,141. In Bistrita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bistrita costs $914 versus $1,141 in Iasi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bistrita. 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.