Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Botosani Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Botosani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,032 in Botosani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Iasi versus $1,549 in Botosani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Iasi versus $2,066 in Botosani.

Living in Iasi is roughly 10% more expensive than Botosani, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 15% lower, Botosani 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$12.02 RON 54.4

-12.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$30.85 RON 139

66.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$8.00 RON 36.19

-15.87%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.66 RON 12.02

0.75%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.47 RON 6.65

41.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.41 RON 6.36

23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.02 RON 9.12

21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$2.51 RON 11.32

36.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.47 RON 6.65

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.29 RON 5.83

-5.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.52 RON 6.85

23.03%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.27 RON 14.79

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.64 RON 39.07

-7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.95 RON 31.40

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$10.02 RON 45.30

9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.14 RON 5.13

8.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.49 RON 6.75

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.41 RON 6.39

22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$2.39 RON 10.82

-17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$1.02 RON 4.61

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.07 RON 4.84

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.66 RON 3.00

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.78 RON 3.52

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.86 RON 26.49

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$6.83 RON 30.86

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.10 RON 4.98

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.65 RON 7.47

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.71 RON 3.19

19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$28.91 RON 131

-6.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.70 RON 3.17

27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.76 RON 3.45

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$7.06 RON 31.93

11.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.53 RON 6.91

8.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$28.0K RON 126.4K

2.03%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$27.5K RON 124.4K

-0.62%

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

$156 RON 707

$166 RON 751

-5.92%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$7.92 RON 35.80

6.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$8.80 RON 39.79

16.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$34.42 RON 156

36.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$26.51 RON 120

-31.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$5.64 RON 25.49

44.86%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$343 RON 1,552

34.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$6,472 RON 29.3K

8.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$49.50 RON 224

25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$34.76 RON 157

23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$67.9 RON 307

27.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$73.3 RON 331

18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$409 RON 1,851

15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$283 RON 1,279

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$513 RON 2,319

46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$431 RON 1,949

27.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,428 RON 6,455

115.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,042 RON 4,709

91.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$1,023 RON 4,623

16.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.25

17.92%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Botosani: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $409 in Botosani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Iasi vs $31.00 in Botosani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $209 per month, with Botosani cheaper across the board.

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 Botosani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi and Botosani differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,137 vs $1,032 including rent). Botosani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iasi pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $474 in Iasi versus $409 in Botosani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Iasi versus $343 in Botosani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,032 in Botosani versus $1,137 in Iasi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Botosani but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Botosani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Iasi and Botosani are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Botosani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.