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: $1,141 in Iasi versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,746 in Iasi versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,351 in Iasi versus $2,191 in Craiova.

Living in Iasi is roughly 3% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 14% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$9.38 RON 42.65

12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$45.95 RON 209

10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$7.96 RON 36.18

-15.20%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.49 RON 11.31

4.82%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$2.10 RON 9.54

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.92 RON 8.75

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$2.25 RON 10.21

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$3.35 RON 15.23

0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.56 RON 7.09

-10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.00 RON 4.54

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.71 RON 7.77

6.43%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.23 RON 14.66

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$7.72 RON 35.11

5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.48 RON 29.47

5.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$9.81 RON 44.59

12.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.23 RON 5.61

0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.70 RON 7.73

-4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.60 RON 7.27

10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$1.84 RON 8.36

3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$1.07 RON 4.88

-11.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$1.14 RON 5.17

-11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$0.80 RON 3.64

28.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.80 RON 3.65

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.88 RON 26.74

5.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$6.34 RON 28.81

3.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.30 RON 5.91

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$2.25 RON 10.24

-15.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.72 RON 3.28

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$23.02 RON 105

20.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.56 RON 2.54

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.89 RON 4.04

-16.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$6.75 RON 30.69

22.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.60 RON 7.29

3.75%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$27.5K RON 124.9K

3.62%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-1.36%

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

$157 RON 712

$212 RON 964

-26.20%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$8.08 RON 36.73

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$11.58 RON 52.6

-16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$37.03 RON 168

26.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$18.97 RON 86.2

-4.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$6.54 RON 29.76

24.77%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$434 RON 1,971

8.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$8,856 RON 40.3K

-22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$78.5 RON 357

-20.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$37.91 RON 172

15.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$77.6 RON 353

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$86.8 RON 394

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$386 RON 1,756

22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$317 RON 1,439

13.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$706 RON 3,209

3.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$436 RON 1,980

22.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$2,735 RON 12.4K

8.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,998 RON 9,082

-2.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$945 RON 4,297

23.57%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Iasi and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 24% 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: $51.0 in Iasi vs $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $204 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 3% 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 24% 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: $474 in Iasi versus $386 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,141 per month in Iasi versus $1,109 in Craiova – a 3% 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 $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,141 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 $1,109 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 3% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.