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: $1,156 in Iasi versus $1,115 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,753 in Iasi versus $1,568 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,350 in Iasi versus $2,020 in Buzau.

Living in Iasi is roughly 4% more expensive than in Buzau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 13% lower, Buzau 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$12.27 RON 56.3

-15.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$25.22 RON 116

104.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$5.79 RON 26.59

22.97%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$2.81 RON 12.89

-6.41%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.98 RON 9.09

6.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.58 RON 7.26

8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$3.28 RON 15.07

-24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$3.52 RON 16.16

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.55 RON 7.13

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.36 RON 6.24

-10.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.70 RON 7.80

11.18%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.35 RON 15.37

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$8.70 RON 39.93

-6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.59 RON 30.24

5.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$10.03 RON 46.04

8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$0.96 RON 4.40

28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.61 RON 7.37

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.18 RON 5.42

44.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.72 RON 7.89

11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.87 RON 4.00

8.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.06 RON 4.87

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.61 RON 2.79

63.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.59 RON 2.72

45.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$5.59 RON 25.66

12.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$6.59 RON 30.24

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.05 RON 4.83

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$1.68 RON 7.70

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.70 RON 3.21

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$19.62 RON 90.1

42.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.69 RON 3.15

36.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.70 RON 3.22

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$7.11 RON 32.64

14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.63 RON 7.49

3.07%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$21.6K RON 98.9K

32.32%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$22.7K RON 104.2K

22.06%

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

$157 RON 718

$126 RON 577

24.53%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$6.41 RON 29.44

32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$8.76 RON 40.23

17.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$37.26 RON 171

26.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$19.99 RON 91.8

-7.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$5.86 RON 26.90

36.52%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$339 RON 1,554

38.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$6,608 RON 30.3K

3.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$61.4 RON 282

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$43.38 RON 199

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$96.7 RON 444

-10.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$96.7 RON 444

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$430 RON 1,975

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$369 RON 1,696

-2.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$633 RON 2,908

17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$462 RON 2,121

15.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,524 RON 6,995

91.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$1,220 RON 5,599

58.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$899 RON 4,127

31.49%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Buzau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Iasi and $430 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 31% 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 $25.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $202 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 ($1,156 vs $1,115 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $473 in Iasi versus $430 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 $52.0 in Iasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,115 in Buzau versus $1,156 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.