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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,125 per month in Iasi vs $913 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Iasi vs $1,437 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,276 per month in Iasi vs $1,961 in Bistrita, rent included.

Iasi costs about 23% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Bistrita are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Bistrita 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.23 RON 46.06

$7.50 RON 33.77

36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 RON 224

$45.20 RON 204

10.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 31.71

$6.88 RON 30.97

2.33%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.18

$2.82 RON 12.70

-3.90%

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

$2.04 RON 9.17

$1.47 RON 6.60

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 RON 7.96

$1.34 RON 6.03

32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 RON 11.67

$2.82 RON 12.72

-8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 15.79

$2.73 RON 12.30

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 RON 6.48

$1.51 RON 6.82

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.59

$1.21 RON 5.45

2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.18

$1.18 RON 5.30

54.24%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.63

$3.26 RON 14.69

-0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 RON 36.26

$6.82 RON 30.71

18.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 RON 30.02

$6.08 RON 27.37

9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 RON 48.96

$9.06 RON 40.79

19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.34

$1.18 RON 5.33

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.52 RON 6.84

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.05

$1.72 RON 7.76

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.61

$2.16 RON 9.72

-11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.37

$0.78 RON 3.50

24.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.74

$0.66 RON 2.96

59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.49

$1.05 RON 4.73

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$0.94 RON 4.22

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 RON 27.37

$5.37 RON 24.17

13.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.64

$8.11 RON 36.53

-18.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.87

$1.04 RON 4.67

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 8.94

$1.14 RON 5.12

74.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 RON 3.80

$0.44 RON 1.98

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 RON 125

$22.75 RON 102

21.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.21

$0.64 RON 2.89

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$0.62 RON 2.77

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 RON 35.80

$7.05 RON 31.77

12.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.60

$1.51 RON 6.80

11.92%

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

$28.0K RON 125.9K

$27.8K RON 125.1K

0.61%

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

$27.6K RON 124.4K

$26.6K RON 119.7K

3.88%

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

$158 RON 710

$141 RON 633

12.21%

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

$8.50 RON 38.29

$7.88 RON 35.51

7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.15 RON 45.70

$6.81 RON 30.66

49.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 RON 212

$46.72 RON 210

0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 RON 82.7

$35.10 RON 158

-47.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RON 36.21

$6.85 RON 30.84

17.37%

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

$476 RON 2,144

$427 RON 1,923

11.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,066 RON 31.8K

$6,924 RON 31.2K

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 275

$67.6 RON 304

-9.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 RON 196

$34.93 RON 157

24.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 RON 388

$69.6 RON 313

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 401

$93.4 RON 421

-4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,115

$234 RON 1,053

100.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,578

$200 RON 900

75.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 RON 3,361

$409 RON 1,840

82.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,409

$332 RON 1,496

61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 RON 13.8K

$1,555 RON 7,001

97.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 8,992

$1,204 RON 5,421

65.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,158 RON 5,215

$1,075 RON 4,842

7.70%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $470 in Iasi versus $234 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 8% 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 $50.0 in Iasi versus $45.00 in Bistrita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 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 23% 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 $1,688 per month in Iasi and $1,370 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 6% 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 $50.0 in Iasi and $45.00 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 $913, than in Iasi at $1,125. 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 $913 versus $1,125 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.