Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Iasi vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Iasi vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Iasi vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Iasi costs about 15% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Calarasi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 RON 44.45

$10.06 RON 43.84

1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 RON 225

$27.69 RON 121

86.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 RON 30.87

$7.65 RON 33.34

-7.45%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.30

$2.68 RON 11.69

-3.36%

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

$2.09 RON 9.10

$1.48 RON 6.46

41.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.68

$1.87 RON 8.15

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 10.77

$2.23 RON 9.74

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.26

$3.38 RON 14.75

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.42 RON 6.18

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.48

$1.10 RON 4.79

14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.81

$1.76 RON 7.68

1.70%

Eggs

$3.11 RON 13.57

$3.29 RON 14.34

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 35.38

$8.95 RON 39.01

-9.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$7.10 RON 30.95

-4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RON 48.26

$9.08 RON 39.60

21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.12

$1.16 RON 5.08

0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.12

$1.48 RON 6.46

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.89

$1.33 RON 5.82

36.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.35

$1.88 RON 8.22

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.75 RON 3.27

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.45

$0.88 RON 3.86

15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.71 RON 3.08

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.82

$0.85 RON 3.70

3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.47

$5.63 RON 24.56

11.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 RON 30.19

$4.49 RON 19.56

54.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.80

$0.99 RON 4.30

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.40

$1.36 RON 5.93

41.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$0.48 RON 2.07

60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.83 RON 121

$14.08 RON 61.4

97.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$0.67 RON 2.91

34.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.24

$0.62 RON 2.69

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 RON 35.39

$5.79 RON 25.23

40.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$1.59 RON 6.92

5.03%

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

$27.7K RON 120.9K

$24.9K RON 108.6K

11.37%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$26.8K RON 116.9K

2.99%

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

$155 RON 676

$149 RON 649

4.18%

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

$8.32 RON 36.28

$8.35 RON 36.41

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 43.93

$7.52 RON 32.77

33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 205

$69.7 RON 304

-32.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 81.1

$19.43 RON 84.7

-4.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 RON 35.39

$5.85 RON 25.50

38.80%

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

$462 RON 2,016

$432 RON 1,883

7.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,992 RON 30.5K

$6,852 RON 29.9K

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 RON 273

$84.0 RON 366

-25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 RON 187

$42.91 RON 187

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 364

$73.6 RON 321

13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 388

$97.5 RON 425

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,036

$389 RON 1,696

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,545

$229 RON 1,000

54.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 RON 3,150

$581 RON 2,533

24.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 RON 2,403

$370 RON 1,612

49.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.7K

$1,261 RON 5,496

130.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 RON 8,033

$1,013 RON 4,418

81.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,942

$779 RON 3,394

45.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.62

11.33%

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

Last update for Iasi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Iasi versus $389 in Calarasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $198 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,157 in Iasi, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 15% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Iasi and $1,509 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Iasi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Iasi at $1,157. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Iasi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,006 in Calarasi to $1,157 in Iasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.