Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Iasi versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Iasi versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Iasi costs roughly 15% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iasi is 15% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.59

$13.58 RON 61.5

-22.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$68.1 RON 308

-24.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.46

$8.05 RON 36.42

-16.40%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.13

$3.40 RON 15.38

-21.18%

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

$2.08 RON 9.39

$2.32 RON 10.51

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$2.38 RON 10.75

-26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.12

$3.54 RON 16.01

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.47

$4.01 RON 18.16

-14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.74 RON 7.89

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.42 RON 6.42

-14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.45

$1.93 RON 8.73

-3.11%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.51

$3.54 RON 16.01

-9.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.98

$9.27 RON 41.95

-14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$7.13 RON 32.25

-6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.71

$12.28 RON 55.6

-10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.61

$1.35 RON 6.12

-8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.33

$1.74 RON 7.87

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.76 RON 7.99

-1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$2.40 RON 10.85

-17.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.48

$1.05 RON 4.73

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.96 RON 4.35

9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.92 RON 4.15

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.91 RON 4.10

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.85

$6.38 RON 28.85

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.92

$6.45 RON 29.19

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.22 RON 5.52

-10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$1.16 RON 5.27

-26.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$19.48 RON 88.1

39.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.72 RON 3.26

23.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.62 RON 2.80

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$6.94 RON 31.39

12.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.71 RON 7.76

-2.92%

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

$28.5K RON 129.2K

$29.0K RON 131.1K

-1.52%

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

$27.3K RON 123.7K

$30.3K RON 137.1K

-9.77%

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

$156 RON 708

$178 RON 804

-12.03%

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

$8.47 RON 38.35

$9.16 RON 41.45

-7.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.22

$11.12 RON 50.3

-8.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$54.7 RON 247

-13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.6

$29.04 RON 131

-37.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.99

$9.27 RON 41.97

-11.87%

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

$463 RON 2,095

$677 RON 3,063

-31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-52.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$79.8 RON 361

-21.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 194

$45.29 RON 205

-5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 391

$89.2 RON 403

-3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$109 RON 494

-20.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,147

$662 RON 2,996

-28.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,635

$432 RON 1,955

-16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,395

$1,355 RON 6,133

-44.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,491

$841 RON 3,806

-34.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$3,857 RON 17.5K

-20.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,036

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-13.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,389

$1,463 RON 6,623

-18.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

7.1

3.80%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 23% 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 $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $233 per month, with Iasi 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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi and Bucharest differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,137 vs $1,336 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $474 in Iasi versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,137 per month in Iasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 39% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iasi but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Iasi 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 Bucharest 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 Iasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.