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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $888 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $1,362 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $1,835 in Bistrita, rent included.

Iasi costs about 44% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Bistrita are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Bistrita 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$6.56 RON 30.08

68.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$33.23 RON 152

31.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.78

$6.78 RON 31.10

11.80%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.18

$2.23 RON 10.23

38.57%

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

$2.12 RON 9.72

$1.74 RON 7.99

21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.50 RON 6.88

22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.21

$2.18 RON 10.01

52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.71

$3.33 RON 15.29

15.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$1.29 RON 5.94

24.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.45

$1.10 RON 5.05

28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.69

$1.12 RON 5.13

88.39%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.88

$2.70 RON 12.38

28.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.11

$6.72 RON 30.82

23.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.21

$6.55 RON 30.04

-2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.48

$11.64 RON 53.4

-12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$0.88 RON 4.06

57.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$1.58 RON 7.27

6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.62 RON 7.42

6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$2.13 RON 9.79

5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$0.87 RON 4.01

1.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.63 RON 2.89

49.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.08 RON 4.97

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.68 RON 3.11

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.69

$5.71 RON 26.18

13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.63

$5.48 RON 25.15

17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.45

$0.97 RON 4.47

44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.82

$1.07 RON 4.91

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$0.43 RON 1.96

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$21.66 RON 99.4

30.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.80 RON 3.66

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.75 RON 3.43

21.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.73

$7.78 RON 35.72

14.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.44

$1.53 RON 7.04

20.26%

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

$29.5K RON 135.5K

$28.2K RON 129.4K

4.67%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

$25.1K RON 115.3K

11.74%

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

$191 RON 875

$181 RON 832

5.19%

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

$7.41 RON 33.98

$6.03 RON 27.65

22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.78

$6.08 RON 27.90

46.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$41.48 RON 190

12.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.5

$33.33 RON 153

-50.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.28

$6.54 RON 29.99

30.89%

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

$416 RON 1,907

$332 RON 1,522

25.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 34.0K

$9,380 RON 43.0K

-21.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$40.17 RON 184

92.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$27.25 RON 125

47.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 441

$64.9 RON 298

47.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$78.4 RON 360

20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,545

$230 RON 1,054

141.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,062

$193 RON 887

132.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,247

$407 RON 1,868

127.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,175

$330 RON 1,513

109.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,565 RON 7,182

88.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,065

$1,213 RON 5,566

62.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,284

$1,048 RON 4,807

9.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.73

6.69%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $230 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $33.00 in Bistrita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $192 – 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 44% 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 $1,913 per month in Iasi and $1,333 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 15% 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 $44.00 in Iasi and $33.00 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 $888, than in Iasi at $1,275. 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 $888 versus $1,275 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.