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: $1,287 in Iasi versus $1,434 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,944 in Iasi versus $2,168 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,601 in Iasi versus $2,901 in Bucharest.

Living in Iasi costs roughly 10% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iasi is 7% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.6

$14.25 RON 64.6

-21.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$60.5 RON 274

-26.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.52

$7.53 RON 34.09

4.12%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$3.72 RON 16.85

-20.16%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$2.41 RON 10.92

-8.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$2.27 RON 10.29

-15.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$4.09 RON 18.51

-17.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.65

$4.32 RON 19.58

-9.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.78 RON 8.06

-6.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$1.47 RON 6.65

-6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.81 RON 8.20

13.26%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.82 RON 17.29

-7.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.88

$9.49 RON 42.97

-11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.08

$6.95 RON 31.48

-4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.22

$12.58 RON 57.0

-17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$1.33 RON 6.01

9.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.65 RON 7.45

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.61 RON 7.28

10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$2.69 RON 12.18

-15.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$0.88 RON 3.99

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.76 RON 3.44

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.86 RON 3.91

41.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.98 RON 4.44

3.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.90

$6.92 RON 31.34

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.47

$6.77 RON 30.66

-3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.29 RON 5.83

8.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$1.73 RON 7.84

28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$22.35 RON 101

27.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$0.65 RON 2.94

43.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$0.69 RON 3.11

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.44

$6.84 RON 30.96

27.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$2.03 RON 9.21

-9.36%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$29.4K RON 133.2K

1.81%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$27.6K RON 124.8K

3.85%

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

$191 RON 865

$198 RON 896

-3.50%

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

$7.82 RON 35.41

$8.71 RON 39.47

-10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.07

$10.07 RON 45.61

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$54.8 RON 248

-14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$25.74 RON 117

-35.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.77

$8.74 RON 39.58

0.46%

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

$414 RON 1,874

$648 RON 2,934

-36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.8K

$15.2K RON 68.7K

-52.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$95.7 RON 433

-22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$40.35 RON 183

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$81.2 RON 368

16.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$101 RON 458

-5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,525

$702 RON 3,181

-20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,031

$487 RON 2,205

-7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,222

$1,143 RON 5,179

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,135

$754 RON 3,416

-8.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$4,032 RON 18.3K

-25.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,041

$2,332 RON 10.6K

-14.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,450

$1,535 RON 6,953

-21.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.82

5.28%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $558 in Iasi and $702 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 28% 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 $60.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $235 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,434 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Bucharest. 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: $558 in Iasi versus $702 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Iasi versus $1,434 in Bucharest – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 28% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Iasi versus $1,434 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 11% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.