Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Braila Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Braila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,275 in Iasi versus $1,186 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Iasi versus $1,824 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Iasi versus $2,462 in Braila.

Living in Iasi is roughly 7% more expensive than in Braila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 7% lower, Braila 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$20.17 RON 92.5

-45.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$41.69 RON 191

5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.78

$9.15 RON 41.98

-17.16%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.18

$2.74 RON 12.59

12.77%

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

$2.12 RON 9.72

$2.18 RON 9.99

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.77 RON 8.14

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.21

$1.80 RON 8.26

84.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.71

$2.24 RON 10.29

72.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$1.88 RON 8.62

-14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.45

$1.48 RON 6.77

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.69

$1.56 RON 7.14

35.26%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.88

$3.55 RON 16.30

-2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.11

$9.06 RON 41.58

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.21

$7.72 RON 35.40

-17.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.48

$9.99 RON 45.83

1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$1.00 RON 4.60

39.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$1.54 RON 7.05

9.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.38 RON 6.35

25.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$1.24 RON 5.71

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$0.90 RON 4.13

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.78 RON 3.57

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$0.78 RON 3.59

56.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.89 RON 4.09

16.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.69

$6.57 RON 30.16

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.63

$6.48 RON 29.73

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.45

$1.03 RON 4.74

35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.82

$1.64 RON 7.53

30.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$0.69 RON 3.16

24.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$16.54 RON 75.9

70.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$1.08 RON 4.94

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.81 RON 3.73

12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.73

$7.18 RON 32.96

23.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.44

$1.59 RON 7.28

15.72%

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

$29.5K RON 135.5K

$27.6K RON 126.8K

6.81%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

$31.0K RON 142.5K

-9.59%

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

$191 RON 875

$146 RON 672

30.26%

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

$7.41 RON 33.98

$8.83 RON 40.52

-16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.78

$13.29 RON 61.0

-33.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$34.32 RON 157

36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.5

$15.21 RON 69.8

8.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.28

$7.87 RON 36.11

8.77%

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

$416 RON 1,907

$384 RON 1,760

8.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 34.0K

$8,733 RON 40.1K

-15.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$102 RON 470

-24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$62.3 RON 286

-35.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 441

$98.0 RON 450

-2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$130 RON 598

-27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,545

$409 RON 1,877

35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,062

$321 RON 1,473

40.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,247

$578 RON 2,651

60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,175

$474 RON 2,177

45.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,944 RON 8,921

51.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,065

$1,387 RON 6,362

42.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,284

$865 RON 3,969

33.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

8.3

-13.49%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Braila: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Iasi and $409 in Braila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 33% 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 $42.00 in Braila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $215 per month, with Braila 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 Braila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Braila wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Iasi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Braila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $555 in Iasi versus $409 in Braila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Braila runs roughly 70% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $416 in Iasi versus $384 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,186 in Braila versus $1,275 in Iasi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Braila but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Braila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Braila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,186 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Braila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Iasi and Braila 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 Braila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.