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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $1,042 in Carei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,600 in Carei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $2,157 in Carei, rent included.

Iasi costs about 25% more than Carei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Carei are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Carei 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.65

$10.64 RON 48.02

3.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$41.53 RON 187

5.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.36

$7.58 RON 34.21

3.30%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.42

$2.56 RON 11.56

16.02%

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

$2.21 RON 9.98

$2.11 RON 9.52

4.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.57

$1.67 RON 7.53

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.77

$2.18 RON 9.85

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.49

$2.68 RON 12.09

52.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.61 RON 7.28

3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.16 RON 5.23

23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.70

$1.53 RON 6.93

40.52%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$3.25 RON 14.68

8.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.37

$8.02 RON 36.19

8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$6.47 RON 29.21

0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.42

$9.94 RON 44.87

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.23 RON 5.56

13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.64 RON 7.42

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.57 RON 7.07

10.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.20

$2.19 RON 9.88

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.82 RON 3.72

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.79 RON 3.56

18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$0.86 RON 3.89

34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.79 RON 3.56

27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.80

$6.29 RON 28.41

4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.79

$6.67 RON 30.12

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.13 RON 5.11

23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.96

$1.65 RON 7.46

33.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.80 RON 3.59

11.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$23.02 RON 104

24.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.80 RON 3.61

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.74 RON 3.34

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.28

$7.05 RON 31.83

26.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.29

$1.77 RON 8.01

3.95%

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

$30.1K RON 135.8K

$29.4K RON 132.7K

2.39%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

8.69%

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

$192 RON 867

$144 RON 648

33.73%

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

$7.81 RON 35.26

$8.59 RON 38.79

-9.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.34

$8.51 RON 38.42

5.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$40.33 RON 182

14.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.0

$21.11 RON 95.3

-21.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.86

$7.86 RON 35.47

15.14%

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

$421 RON 1,902

$441 RON 1,991

-4.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$7,179 RON 32.4K

2.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$64.9 RON 293

16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$37.08 RON 167

9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$84.1 RON 380

13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 432

$87.7 RON 396

9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,509

$410 RON 1,851

35.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,989

$304 RON 1,374

44.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,134

$623 RON 2,814

46.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,151

$464 RON 2,096

50.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,917 RON 8,657

54.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,991

$1,386 RON 6,257

43.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,255

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.99

2.72%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Carei: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $410 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $42.00 in Carei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $206 – 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 25% more than Carei, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,563 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 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi and $42.00 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 $1,042, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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 $1,042 versus $1,305 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.