Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Carei Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Carei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $1,019 in Carei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,559 in Carei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $2,098 in Carei, rent included.

Iasi costs about 13% more than Carei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iasi and Carei are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Carei 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.66

$9.65 RON 44.24

7.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 236

$46.02 RON 211

12.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.64

$7.97 RON 36.56

-10.66%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.08

$2.68 RON 12.30

-1.87%

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 7.85

$1.69 RON 7.77

1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.34

$2.28 RON 10.46

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.80 RON 12.84

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.53 RON 7.00

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$1.18 RON 5.39

3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.65

$1.72 RON 7.91

9.88%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.15

$3.38 RON 15.49

-8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.26

$8.72 RON 40.01

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.76

$6.54 RON 30.01

5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.90

$10.50 RON 48.14

3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$1.13 RON 5.20

8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.13

$1.59 RON 7.31

-2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.59 RON 7.30

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.98 RON 9.08

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$0.83 RON 3.82

13.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$0.99 RON 4.55

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.85 RON 3.91

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.84 RON 3.85

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.78

$5.97 RON 27.38

5.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.29

$5.97 RON 27.36

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.07 RON 4.90

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.82

$1.70 RON 7.79

12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.68 RON 3.11

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$19.42 RON 89.0

43.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$0.77 RON 3.51

22.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.75 RON 3.44

-5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.33

$6.96 RON 31.94

16.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$1.61 RON 7.38

4.35%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$27.8K RON 127.3K

2.72%

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

$27.7K RON 127.1K

$27.1K RON 124.4K

2.22%

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

$157 RON 718

$151 RON 691

3.81%

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

$8.51 RON 39.04

$7.94 RON 36.41

7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.05

$8.97 RON 41.12

14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$41.84 RON 192

12.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.8

$18.90 RON 86.7

-2.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.71

$7.11 RON 32.63

12.52%

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

$471 RON 2,158

$425 RON 1,951

10.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$6,800 RON 31.2K

0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$67.9 RON 311

-10.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$38.49 RON 177

13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$73.7 RON 338

17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$91.1 RON 418

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,170

$395 RON 1,810

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,647

$288 RON 1,321

24.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,402

$586 RON 2,687

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,446

$435 RON 1,993

22.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,944 RON 8,917

49.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,861

$1,425 RON 6,536

35.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.56

12.35%

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

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Carei: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi versus $395 in Carei. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Carei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $208 – making Carei 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 Carei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 13% more than Carei, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,734 per month in Iasi and $1,529 in Carei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi and $46.00 in Carei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Carei, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Carei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Carei costs $1,019 versus $1,156 in Iasi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Carei. 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.