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: $1,156 in Iasi versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,753 in Iasi versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,350 in Iasi versus $2,903 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 13% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$14.09 RON 64.7

-26.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$68.8 RON 316

-25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$8.08 RON 37.07

-11.88%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$3.39 RON 15.56

-22.42%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$2.24 RON 10.29

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$2.42 RON 11.10

-29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$3.38 RON 15.53

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$3.83 RON 17.58

-12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.72 RON 7.89

-16.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.35 RON 6.20

-9.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.83 RON 8.42

3.28%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.65 RON 16.74

-15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$9.23 RON 42.35

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.85 RON 31.46

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$12.03 RON 55.2

-9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.34 RON 6.15

-8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.72 RON 7.90

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.82 RON 8.34

-6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$2.39 RON 10.98

-19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.04 RON 4.78

-9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.02 RON 4.68

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.98 RON 4.49

2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.95 RON 4.34

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$6.40 RON 29.36

-1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$6.50 RON 29.84

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.24 RON 5.69

-11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$1.93 RON 8.87

-0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$1.14 RON 5.22

-30.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$19.82 RON 91.0

41.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.71 RON 3.28

32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.65 RON 3.00

9.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$6.93 RON 31.82

17.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.66 RON 7.60

1.20%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$29.0K RON 132.9K

-1.50%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$30.1K RON 138.0K

-7.82%

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

$157 RON 718

$183 RON 842

-14.67%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$8.95 RON 41.09

-4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$11.12 RON 51.1

-7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$54.4 RON 250

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$29.49 RON 135

-37.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$9.13 RON 41.92

-12.38%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$676 RON 3,105

-30.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$14.3K RON 65.7K

-52.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$81.1 RON 372

-24.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$44.42 RON 204

-1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$89.8 RON 412

-3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$108 RON 497

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$662 RON 3,039

-28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$441 RON 2,022

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$1,352 RON 6,207

-45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$849 RON 3,896

-37.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$3,777 RON 17.3K

-22.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-13.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$1,408 RON 6,463

-16.05%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Iasi and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 19% 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: $52.0 in Iasi vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $230 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,156 vs $1,362 including rent). Iasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $473 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 $1,156 per month in Iasi versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iasi runs roughly 41% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,156 in Iasi versus $1,362 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 18% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.