Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,125 in Iasi versus $1,113 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Iasi versus $1,648 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,276 in Iasi versus $2,184 in Craiova.

Living in Iasi is roughly 1% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 16% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.23 RON 46.73

$8.97 RON 41.00

14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 RON 228

$45.16 RON 206

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 32.16

$7.92 RON 36.17

-11.11%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.36

$2.60 RON 11.90

4.23%

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

$2.04 RON 9.30

$2.08 RON 9.50

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.95 RON 8.89

-9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 RON 11.83

$2.25 RON 10.28

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 16.02

$3.42 RON 15.61

2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 RON 6.57

$1.51 RON 6.89

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.67

$0.98 RON 4.49

26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.30

$1.64 RON 7.48

10.98%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.84

$3.35 RON 15.32

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 RON 36.79

$7.48 RON 34.15

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 RON 30.45

$6.59 RON 30.11

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 RON 49.67

$9.61 RON 43.90

13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.42

$1.23 RON 5.60

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.12

$1.66 RON 7.58

-6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.17

$1.60 RON 7.31

11.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$1.89 RON 8.65

1.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.43

$1.04 RON 4.75

-6.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$1.13 RON 5.18

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.79 RON 3.62

26.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.75

$0.81 RON 3.68

1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 RON 27.77

$5.98 RON 27.33

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.07

$6.26 RON 28.58

5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$1.30 RON 5.94

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.07

$2.21 RON 10.09

-9.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.72 RON 3.30

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 RON 127

$23.17 RON 106

19.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.27

$0.59 RON 2.72

59.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.87 RON 3.97

-18.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 RON 36.31

$6.76 RON 30.87

17.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.71

$1.62 RON 7.40

4.32%

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

$28.0K RON 127.7K

$28.0K RON 128.1K

-0.35%

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

$27.6K RON 126.2K

$27.7K RON 126.3K

-0.15%

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

$158 RON 721

$209 RON 954

-24.47%

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

$8.50 RON 38.84

$7.90 RON 36.08

7.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.15 RON 46.36

$11.62 RON 53.1

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 RON 215

$37.06 RON 169

27.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 RON 83.9

$18.83 RON 86.0

-2.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RON 36.73

$6.76 RON 30.87

18.93%

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

$476 RON 2,174

$434 RON 1,982

9.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,066 RON 32.3K

$9,050 RON 41.3K

-21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 279

$78.1 RON 357

-21.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 RON 199

$37.79 RON 173

15.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 RON 394

$78.6 RON 359

9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 407

$85.0 RON 388

4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,145

$389 RON 1,775

20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,600

$307 RON 1,403

14.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 RON 3,409

$727 RON 3,322

2.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,444

$438 RON 2,000

22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 RON 14.0K

$2,638 RON 12.1K

16.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,122

$2,016 RON 9,210

-0.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,158 RON 5,291

$998 RON 4,561

16.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.28

17.36%

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

Last update for Iasi: June 15, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Iasi and $389 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Iasi vs $45.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $203 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Iasi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Iasi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $470 in Iasi versus $389 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,125 per month in Iasi versus $1,113 in Craiova – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 20% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,113 in Craiova versus $1,125 in Iasi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Iasi. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,113 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Iasi and Craiova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.