Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Lugoj Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Lugoj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $827 in Lugoj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $1,272 in Lugoj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $1,717 in Lugoj, rent included.

Iasi costs about 54% more than Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Lugoj are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Lugoj 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$10.14 RON 46.45

8.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$35.09 RON 161

24.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.72

$5.35 RON 24.49

41.68%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.16

$1.93 RON 8.82

60.10%

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

$2.12 RON 9.70

$1.63 RON 7.48

30.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.37

$1.50 RON 6.86

22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.19

$2.18 RON 10.01

52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.68

$2.12 RON 9.72

82.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.75 RON 8.00

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.44

$0.97 RON 4.46

45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$0.65 RON 2.96

224.62%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.85

$1.35 RON 6.17

156.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$3.59 RON 16.44

131.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.16

$4.06 RON 18.60

56.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.41

$4.46 RON 20.44

127.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$1.08 RON 4.95

28.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.76

$1.34 RON 6.14

26.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.80 RON 8.23

-3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$0.64 RON 2.95

251.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.64 RON 2.93

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.68 RON 3.12

38.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$1.01 RON 4.62

20.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.65 RON 2.97

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.64

$5.09 RON 23.32

27.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.58

$4.30 RON 19.70

50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.43

$1.34 RON 6.13

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.80

$1.81 RON 8.27

18.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.63 RON 2.91

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$22.13 RON 101

27.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.96 RON 4.40

-9.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.01 RON 4.65

-9.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.66

$8.82 RON 40.38

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.43

$1.97 RON 9.03

-6.60%

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

$29.5K RON 135.3K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-0.88%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$25.6K RON 117.4K

9.51%

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

$191 RON 873

$53.9 RON 247

254.08%

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

$7.41 RON 33.93

$8.69 RON 39.82

-14.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.72

$10.10 RON 46.25

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$22.04 RON 101

112.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.4

$26.58 RON 122

-38.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.22

$9.86 RON 45.19

-13.18%

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

$416 RON 1,904

$618 RON 2,831

-32.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 33.9K

$10.1K RON 46.4K

-27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$94.8 RON 434

-18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$47.73 RON 219

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 440

$105 RON 482

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$113 RON 516

-15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,541

$191 RON 877

189.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,059

$221 RON 1,013

103.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,240

$334 RON 1,529

177.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,170

$328 RON 1,502

111.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,371 RON 6,281

115.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,051

$1,082 RON 4,955

82.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,275

$960 RON 4,398

19.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.8

5.59%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $191 in Lugoj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi versus $35.00 in Lugoj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $137 – making Lugoj 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 Lugoj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,275 in Iasi, $827 in Lugoj – roughly 54% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,913 per month in Iasi and $1,241 in Lugoj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lugoj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Lugoj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Iasi and $618 in Lugoj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugoj, where all-in costs run around $827, than in Iasi at $1,275. In Lugoj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Iasi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $827 in Lugoj to $1,275 in Iasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lugoj. 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.