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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,125 per month in Iasi vs $1,007 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Iasi vs $1,502 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,276 per month in Iasi vs $1,996 in Calarasi, rent included.

Iasi costs about 12% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Calarasi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.23 RON 46.06

$10.04 RON 45.20

1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 RON 224

$27.75 RON 125

79.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 31.71

$7.87 RON 35.43

-10.55%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.18

$2.69 RON 12.11

0.74%

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

$2.04 RON 9.17

$1.54 RON 6.92

32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 RON 7.96

$1.88 RON 8.49

-5.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 RON 11.67

$2.25 RON 10.12

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 15.79

$3.37 RON 15.16

4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 RON 6.48

$1.34 RON 6.03

7.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.59

$1.06 RON 4.75

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.18

$1.77 RON 7.95

2.82%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.63

$3.28 RON 14.79

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 RON 36.26

$8.96 RON 40.33

-10.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 RON 30.02

$6.92 RON 31.17

-3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 RON 48.96

$9.00 RON 40.55

20.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.34

$1.16 RON 5.23

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.42 RON 6.39

9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.05

$1.32 RON 5.95

35.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.61

$1.96 RON 8.82

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.37

$0.82 RON 3.67

18.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.74

$0.90 RON 4.05

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.49

$0.71 RON 3.22

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$0.82 RON 3.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 RON 27.37

$5.80 RON 26.13

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.64

$4.38 RON 19.75

50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.87

$0.92 RON 4.15

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 8.94

$1.36 RON 6.12

46.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 RON 3.80

$0.45 RON 2.01

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 RON 125

$13.85 RON 62.4

99.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.21

$0.72 RON 3.23

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$0.61 RON 2.75

16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 RON 35.80

$5.79 RON 26.06

37.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.60

$1.60 RON 7.19

5.62%

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

$28.0K RON 125.9K

$25.4K RON 114.4K

10.07%

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

$27.6K RON 124.4K

$27.7K RON 124.6K

-0.21%

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

$158 RON 710

$147 RON 663

7.21%

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

$8.50 RON 38.29

$8.32 RON 37.47

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.15 RON 45.70

$7.61 RON 34.27

33.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 RON 212

$69.5 RON 313

-32.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 RON 82.7

$18.85 RON 84.9

-2.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RON 36.21

$6.16 RON 27.74

30.52%

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

$476 RON 2,144

$419 RON 1,889

13.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,066 RON 31.8K

$7,063 RON 31.8K

0.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 275

$83.4 RON 375

-26.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 RON 196

$42.55 RON 192

2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 RON 388

$74.4 RON 335

15.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 401

$96.6 RON 435

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,115

$382 RON 1,719

23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,578

$230 RON 1,036

52.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 RON 3,361

$593 RON 2,669

25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,409

$371 RON 1,670

44.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 RON 13.8K

$1,231 RON 5,543

148.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 8,992

$984 RON 4,431

102.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,158 RON 5,215

$772 RON 3,476

50.04%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $470 in Iasi versus $382 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 50% 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 $50.0 in Iasi versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $195 – 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: $1,125 in Iasi, $1,007 in Calarasi – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,688 per month in Iasi and $1,510 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 $476 per month in Iasi and $419 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $1,007, than in Iasi at $1,125. 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 $1,007 in Calarasi to $1,125 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.