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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Iasi vs $984 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Iasi vs $1,489 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Iasi vs $1,995 in Calarasi, rent included.

Iasi costs about 16% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Calarasi 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$10.05 RON 45.69

5.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$28.17 RON 128

80.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$7.61 RON 34.60

-11.30%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.56 RON 11.63

1.95%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$1.53 RON 6.97

30.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.82 RON 8.30

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$2.32 RON 10.53

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$3.40 RON 15.48

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.41 RON 6.42

-1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.05 RON 4.77

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.76 RON 7.99

3.41%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.35 RON 15.23

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$8.64 RON 39.28

-5.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.96 RON 31.62

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$8.93 RON 40.59

23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.21 RON 5.49

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.48 RON 6.73

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.28 RON 5.80

38.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$1.98 RON 9.00

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.76 RON 3.45

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$0.89 RON 4.05

13.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$0.76 RON 3.44

35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.85 RON 3.87

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.69 RON 25.86

8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$4.39 RON 19.98

49.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$0.96 RON 4.35

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.41 RON 6.41

34.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.44 RON 2.02

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$13.55 RON 61.6

104.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.67 RON 3.04

31.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.60 RON 2.74

23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$5.89 RON 26.77

40.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.59 RON 7.23

4.40%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$25.3K RON 115.2K

12.37%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$26.9K RON 122.3K

1.27%

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

$157 RON 712

$146 RON 663

7.31%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$8.55 RON 38.89

-2.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$7.26 RON 33.02

33.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$68.6 RON 312

-31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$18.86 RON 85.8

-3.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$6.14 RON 27.90

32.90%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$425 RON 1,933

10.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$6,986 RON 31.8K

-1.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$82.5 RON 375

-24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$42.94 RON 195

1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$75.4 RON 343

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$99.0 RON 450

-11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$383 RON 1,740

23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$228 RON 1,037

58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$581 RON 2,642

25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$374 RON 1,702

42.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$1,244 RON 5,653

137.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$970 RON 4,408

101.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$741 RON 3,367

57.72%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $383 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 58% 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $196 – 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: $1,141 in Iasi, $984 in Calarasi – roughly 16% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Iasi and $1,476 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 $469 per month in Iasi and $425 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $984, than in Iasi at $1,141. 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 $984 in Calarasi to $1,141 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.