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: $1,287 in Iasi versus $1,047 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,944 in Iasi versus $1,538 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,601 in Iasi versus $2,029 in Buzau.

Living in Iasi is roughly 23% more expensive than in Buzau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 7% lower, Buzau 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.6

$10.86 RON 49.17

2.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$26.83 RON 122

65.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.52

$6.59 RON 29.82

18.97%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$2.07 RON 9.39

43.48%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$2.04 RON 9.23

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$1.59 RON 7.21

20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$1.79 RON 8.11

88.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.65

$1.79 RON 8.11

117.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.86 RON 8.40

-10.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$1.39 RON 6.30

-0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.48 RON 6.68

38.51%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.22 RON 14.57

9.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.88

$7.86 RON 35.62

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.08

$7.06 RON 31.99

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.22

$11.56 RON 52.4

-9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$1.05 RON 4.75

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.74 RON 7.87

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.17 RON 5.32

52.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$1.24 RON 5.64

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$0.69 RON 3.11

27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.88 RON 3.99

2.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.49 RON 2.21

148.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.74 RON 3.37

36.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.90

$6.71 RON 30.40

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.47

$6.73 RON 30.50

-3.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$0.80 RON 3.63

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$1.52 RON 6.89

46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.69 RON 3.12

23.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$22.95 RON 104

24.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$0.56 RON 2.53

66.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$0.53 RON 2.39

73.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.44

$6.66 RON 30.16

30.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$1.62 RON 7.34

13.58%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$20.3K RON 92.0K

47.48%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$22.1K RON 100.3K

29.20%

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

$191 RON 865

$128 RON 581

48.78%

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

$7.82 RON 35.41

$8.45 RON 38.28

-7.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.07

$8.53 RON 38.63

6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$33.75 RON 153

38.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$19.19 RON 86.9

-13.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.77

$7.24 RON 32.77

21.27%

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

$414 RON 1,874

$305 RON 1,382

35.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.8K

$7,015 RON 31.8K

3.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$59.3 RON 269

25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$61.5 RON 279

-34.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$103 RON 468

-8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$89.0 RON 403

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,525

$374 RON 1,696

48.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,031

$311 RON 1,409

44.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,222

$643 RON 2,912

45.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,135

$442 RON 2,003

56.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$1,514 RON 6,857

98.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,041

$1,253 RON 5,672

59.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,450

$910 RON 4,121

32.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.97

3.01%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Buzau: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $558 in Iasi and $374 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: $44.00 in Iasi vs $27.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $207 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,047 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% 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: $558 in Iasi versus $374 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $27.00 versus $44.00 in Iasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,047 in Buzau versus $1,287 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 23% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.