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: $1,275 in Iasi versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Iasi versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Iasi versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Living in Iasi is roughly 5% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iasi 7% lower, Craiova 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$7.47 RON 34.28

47.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$37.52 RON 172

16.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.78

$7.73 RON 35.45

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.18

$2.87 RON 13.18

7.67%

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

$2.12 RON 9.72

$2.31 RON 10.59

-8.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.90 RON 8.73

-3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.21

$2.45 RON 11.26

35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.71

$3.61 RON 16.58

6.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$1.32 RON 6.06

21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.45

$0.92 RON 4.22

53.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.69

$1.50 RON 6.86

40.67%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.88

$3.44 RON 15.77

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.11

$7.54 RON 34.60

10.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.21

$6.70 RON 30.73

-4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.48

$11.65 RON 53.5

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$1.04 RON 4.79

33.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$1.52 RON 6.99

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.52 RON 6.99

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$1.90 RON 8.71

18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$0.86 RON 3.92

2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.94 RON 4.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$0.77 RON 3.51

58.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.74 RON 3.38

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.69

$6.70 RON 30.75

-3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.63

$6.74 RON 30.90

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.45

$1.18 RON 5.44

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.82

$1.60 RON 7.36

33.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$0.89 RON 4.08

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$26.08 RON 120

8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.63 RON 2.88

38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.64 RON 2.91

42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.73

$6.62 RON 30.37

34.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.44

$1.88 RON 8.61

-2.13%

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

$29.5K RON 135.5K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-0.36%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

2.94%

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

$191 RON 875

$206 RON 947

-7.58%

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

$7.41 RON 33.98

$10.52 RON 48.28

-29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.78

$11.68 RON 53.6

-23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$41.43 RON 190

13.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.5

$22.75 RON 104

-27.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.28

$7.91 RON 36.28

8.22%

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

$416 RON 1,907

$441 RON 2,025

-5.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 34.0K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

-14.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$58.8 RON 270

31.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$49.69 RON 228

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 441

$82.6 RON 379

16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$108 RON 497

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,545

$536 RON 2,460

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,062

$401 RON 1,840

12.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,247

$921 RON 4,225

0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,175

$618 RON 2,836

11.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

6.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,065

$2,050 RON 9,407

-3.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,284

$981 RON 4,500

17.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.84

4.97%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Iasi and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iasi pays 17% 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: $44.00 in Iasi vs $38.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $202 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 5% 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 17% 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: $555 in Iasi versus $536 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,275 per month in Iasi versus $1,219 in Craiova – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 8% less than in Iasi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,275 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 $1,219 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 5% less than in Iasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.