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: $1,123 in Iasi versus $1,075 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,706 in Iasi versus $1,660 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,288 in Iasi versus $2,246 in Braila.

Living in Iasi is roughly 4% more expensive than Braila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 16% lower, Braila 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 RON 47.43

$13.57 RON 61.4

-22.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 RON 228

$46.96 RON 212

7.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 RON 31.91

$8.24 RON 37.28

-14.32%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.79

$2.78 RON 12.57

-6.12%

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

$2.09 RON 9.45

$1.92 RON 8.67

8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.74 RON 7.87

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.58

$2.29 RON 10.34

11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$3.25 RON 14.70

3.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.25

$1.57 RON 7.09

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.49

$1.25 RON 5.65

-3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.52

$1.86 RON 8.42

1.08%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.76

$3.44 RON 15.57

-5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.97

$8.41 RON 38.05

-5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.28

$6.67 RON 30.16

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 RON 49.51

$10.56 RON 47.77

3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.62

$1.20 RON 5.45

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.01

$1.66 RON 7.49

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.71 RON 7.74

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$1.93 RON 8.72

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$0.81 RON 3.65

20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.77

$1.09 RON 4.93

-3.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.56

$0.68 RON 3.07

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.76 RON 3.45

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 RON 27.45

$5.76 RON 26.05

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$6.53 RON 29.53

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.07 RON 4.86

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$1.67 RON 7.56

17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.65 RON 2.95

21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 RON 126

$16.15 RON 73.1

72.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$0.90 RON 4.06

3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.41

$0.61 RON 2.75

22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 RON 37.38

$7.69 RON 34.81

7.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.54 RON 6.97

9.09%

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

$28.3K RON 128.2K

$27.7K RON 125.5K

2.17%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$27.9K RON 126.3K

-1.30%

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

$158 RON 717

$151 RON 684

4.71%

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

$8.26 RON 37.35

$7.79 RON 35.23

6.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 46.40

$8.98 RON 40.62

14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.57 RON 211

$34.16 RON 155

36.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RON 84.4

$13.68 RON 61.9

36.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 RON 36.80

$6.89 RON 31.15

18.14%

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

$462 RON 2,090

$296 RON 1,341

55.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.5K

$7,003 RON 31.7K

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 RON 285

$67.2 RON 304

-6.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 RON 195

$55.4 RON 250

-22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 RON 384

$70.5 RON 319

20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 402

$113 RON 510

-21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 RON 2,170

$377 RON 1,706

27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 RON 1,639

$305 RON 1,378

18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 RON 3,366

$577 RON 2,611

28.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,486

$465 RON 2,106

18.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.4K

$1,963 RON 8,878

50.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 RON 9,071

$1,410 RON 6,379

42.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,340

$876 RON 3,962

34.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.78

8.70%

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

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Braila: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Iasi and $377 in Braila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 35% 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: $50.0 in Iasi vs $47.00 in Braila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $210 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 4% 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.

Iasi pays 35% 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: $480 in Iasi versus $377 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 73% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $462 in Iasi versus $296 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,075 in Braila versus $1,123 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 $1,075 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 4% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.