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: $1,305 in Iasi versus $1,051 in Botosani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Iasi versus $1,525 in Botosani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,499 in Iasi versus $1,998 in Botosani.

Living in Iasi is roughly 24% more expensive than in Botosani, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 5% lower, Botosani 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.65

$12.38 RON 55.9

-11.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$29.91 RON 135

46.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.36

$7.79 RON 35.18

0.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.42

$2.53 RON 11.42

17.39%

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

$2.21 RON 9.98

$1.48 RON 6.66

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.57

$1.35 RON 6.11

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.77

$2.02 RON 9.11

61.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.49

$2.42 RON 10.91

69.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.59 RON 7.16

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.21 RON 5.46

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.70

$1.59 RON 7.19

35.22%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$3.62 RON 16.33

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.37

$7.56 RON 34.12

15.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$7.33 RON 33.09

-11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.42

$9.45 RON 42.64

8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.12 RON 5.07

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.59 RON 7.18

2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.66 RON 7.49

4.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.20

$1.88 RON 8.48

20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.83 RON 3.74

10.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.80 RON 3.59

17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$0.86 RON 3.90

34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.77 RON 3.49

31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.80

$6.40 RON 28.89

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.79

$7.00 RON 31.60

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.07 RON 4.82

30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.96

$1.90 RON 8.57

16.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.63 RON 2.85

41.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$29.49 RON 133

-3.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.69 RON 3.13

23.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.66 RON 3.00

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.28

$6.80 RON 30.70

31.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.29

$1.75 RON 7.88

5.14%

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

$30.1K RON 135.8K

$27.8K RON 125.4K

8.33%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$27.6K RON 124.5K

5.55%

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

$192 RON 867

$178 RON 801

8.16%

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

$7.81 RON 35.26

$7.79 RON 35.15

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.34

$9.57 RON 43.20

-6.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$33.30 RON 150

38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.0

$24.49 RON 111

-32.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.86

$5.64 RON 25.45

60.46%

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

$421 RON 1,902

$327 RON 1,476

28.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$7,345 RON 33.2K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$47.81 RON 216

58.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$33.33 RON 150

21.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$66.3 RON 299

44.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 432

$69.8 RON 315

37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,509

$399 RON 1,799

39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,989

$290 RON 1,307

52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,134

$580 RON 2,620

57.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,151

$408 RON 1,841

71.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,445 RON 6,522

105.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,991

$1,068 RON 4,823

86.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,255

$1,027 RON 4,635

13.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.57

9.28%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Botosani: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in Iasi and $399 in Botosani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 13% 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: $44.00 in Iasi vs $30.00 in Botosani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $208 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,051 including rent). Botosani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Iasi, 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: $556 in Iasi versus $399 in Botosani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $421 in Iasi versus $327 in Botosani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,051 in Botosani versus $1,305 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 24% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.