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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $1,047 in Carei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $1,567 in Carei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $2,087 in Carei, rent included.

Iasi costs about 9% more than Carei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iasi and Carei are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Carei 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$9.55 RON 43.15

10.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$45.34 RON 205

13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$7.89 RON 35.69

-14.70%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.64 RON 11.95

1.52%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.93 RON 8.74

7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.68 RON 7.57

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.33 RON 10.52

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$2.78 RON 12.56

23.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.48 RON 6.67

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.18 RON 5.34

3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.69 RON 7.63

10.65%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.36 RON 15.17

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.58 RON 38.77

-7.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.53 RON 29.52

2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$10.55 RON 47.71

4.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.13 RON 5.11

9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.59 RON 7.17

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.55 RON 7.02

11.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$1.93 RON 8.71

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.84 RON 3.79

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.96 RON 4.35

9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.84 RON 3.81

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.77 RON 3.49

11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.88 RON 26.56

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$7.00 RON 31.64

-5.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.02 RON 4.60

6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.70 RON 7.67

16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.67 RON 3.02

26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$19.50 RON 88.1

39.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.72 RON 3.27

23.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.69 RON 3.11

1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$7.12 RON 32.17

10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.53 RON 6.94

8.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$27.7K RON 125.3K

2.95%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

2.14%

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

$156 RON 707

$151 RON 681

3.73%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$8.28 RON 37.45

2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$8.85 RON 40.00

15.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$40.95 RON 185

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$19.57 RON 88.5

-6.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$7.02 RON 31.72

16.38%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$431 RON 1,946

7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$7,052 RON 31.9K

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$67.8 RON 307

-8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$39.20 RON 177

9.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$73.4 RON 332

17.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$91.3 RON 413

-4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$388 RON 1,753

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$293 RON 1,323

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$599 RON 2,709

25.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$433 RON 1,959

27.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,872 RON 8,460

64.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,362 RON 6,159

46.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Carei: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $388 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $45.00 in Carei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $207 – 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 9% 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 $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,571 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 $51.0 in Iasi and $45.00 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 $1,047, than in Iasi at $1,137. 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 $1,047 versus $1,137 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.