Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Buzau Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Buzau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in Iasi versus $1,096 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Iasi versus $1,581 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Iasi versus $2,066 in Buzau.

Living in Iasi is roughly 4% more expensive than Buzau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 15% lower, Buzau 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$12.14 RON 54.9

-13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$24.99 RON 113

105.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$5.89 RON 26.62

14.26%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.70 RON 12.20

-0.74%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.98 RON 8.97

5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.57 RON 7.11

10.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$3.28 RON 14.83

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$3.47 RON 15.69

-1.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.47 RON 6.66

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.35 RON 6.12

-9.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.78 RON 8.04

5.06%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.35 RON 15.14

-4.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.74 RON 39.51

-9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.94 RON 31.35

-3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$10.24 RON 46.27

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$0.89 RON 4.04

39.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.54 RON 6.97

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.18 RON 5.34

46.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$1.75 RON 7.91

12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.87 RON 3.95

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.07 RON 4.82

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.60 RON 2.73

73.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.61 RON 2.74

40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.60 RON 25.33

13.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$6.60 RON 29.85

0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.06 RON 4.80

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.71 RON 7.75

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.67 RON 3.05

26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$19.34 RON 87.4

40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.65 RON 2.93

36.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.75 RON 3.40

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$6.95 RON 31.41

12.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.64 RON 7.40

1.22%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$21.1K RON 95.2K

35.57%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$23.4K RON 105.6K

17.03%

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

$156 RON 707

$125 RON 566

24.94%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$6.43 RON 29.08

31.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$9.05 RON 40.93

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$37.13 RON 168

26.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$20.02 RON 90.5

-8.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$5.93 RON 26.79

37.77%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$334 RON 1,512

38.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$6,544 RON 29.6K

7.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$60.8 RON 275

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$43.04 RON 195

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$94.9 RON 429

-8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$98.9 RON 447

-12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$445 RON 2,010

6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$364 RON 1,643

-0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$622 RON 2,813

20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$470 RON 2,123

17.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,555 RON 7,029

97.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,217 RON 5,501

64.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$902 RON 4,076

32.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

7.7

-4.29%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buzau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $445 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 32% 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 $25.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $204 per month, with Buzau 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 Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi and Buzau differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,137 vs $1,096 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iasi pays 32% 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: $474 in Iasi versus $445 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Iasi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Buzau – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $51.0 in Iasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,096 in Buzau versus $1,137 in Iasi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau 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 Buzau 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 Buzau 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.