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: $1,141 in Iasi versus $1,086 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,746 in Iasi versus $1,667 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,351 in Iasi versus $2,247 in Braila.

Living in Iasi is roughly 5% more expensive than in Braila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 14% lower, Braila 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$13.59 RON 61.8

-22.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$45.30 RON 206

12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$7.84 RON 35.65

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.76 RON 12.55

-5.43%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$1.90 RON 8.66

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.72 RON 7.82

-2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$2.36 RON 10.72

5.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$3.31 RON 15.04

1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.53 RON 6.97

-9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.30 RON 5.90

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.90 RON 8.65

-4.21%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.46 RON 15.75

-6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$8.47 RON 38.49

-3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.47 RON 29.40

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$10.40 RON 47.29

6.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.22 RON 5.55

1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.68 RON 7.63

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.71 RON 7.76

3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$1.93 RON 8.76

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.84 RON 3.84

13.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$1.14 RON 5.18

-11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$0.67 RON 3.04

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.76 RON 3.44

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.83 RON 26.52

6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$6.46 RON 29.37

1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.11 RON 5.05

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.62 RON 7.35

17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.62 RON 2.80

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$16.41 RON 74.6

68.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.94 RON 4.27

-6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.65 RON 2.95

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$7.64 RON 34.75

8.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.53 RON 6.97

8.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.3K RON 128.5K

0.71%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$27.3K RON 123.9K

-0.07%

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

$157 RON 712

$151 RON 687

3.64%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$7.70 RON 35.01

8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$9.00 RON 40.90

7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$34.79 RON 158

34.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$13.93 RON 63.3

30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$6.81 RON 30.94

19.82%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$294 RON 1,338

59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$6,926 RON 31.5K

-0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$68.4 RON 311

-8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$54.3 RON 247

-19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$71.0 RON 323

18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$113 RON 512

-22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$382 RON 1,737

24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$307 RON 1,396

17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$574 RON 2,611

27.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$462 RON 2,100

15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$1,936 RON 8,800

52.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,395 RON 6,342

39.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$877 RON 3,986

33.23%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Braila: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $382 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: $51.0 in Iasi vs $45.00 in Braila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 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 5% 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: $474 in Iasi versus $382 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 69% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $469 in Iasi versus $294 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,086 in Braila versus $1,141 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 $1,086 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 5% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.