Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Lugoj

For one person, living is cheaper in Lugoj: $769 a month against $1,263 in Iasi, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Iasi
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Iasi Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Lugoj
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Lugoj Living Index

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Iasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,263

/mo nomad

Lugoj

🇷🇴 Romania

$769

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iasi and in Lugoj

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iasi and in Lugoj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,263 per month in Iasi vs $769 in Lugoj, rent included.

Iasi $1,263
Lugoj $769

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Iasi vs $1,201 in Lugoj, rent included.

Iasi $1,842
Lugoj $1,201

A family of three spends $2,420 per month in Iasi vs $1,633 in Lugoj, rent included.

Iasi $2,420
Lugoj $1,633

Iasi costs about 64% more than Lugoj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Iasi and Lugoj are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Lugoj 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 RON 49.74

$9.18 RON 43.61

14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 RON 199

$33.57 RON 160

24.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 RON 33.03

$5.17 RON 24.60

34.43%

Cappuccino

$2.85 RON 13.54

$1.75 RON 8.30

62.86%

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

$2.15 RON 10.24

$1.54 RON 7.31

39.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RON 8.66

$1.51 RON 7.17

20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 15.20

$2.05 RON 9.75

56.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 RON 17.52

$1.94 RON 9.24

90.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.31

$1.60 RON 7.61

-3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$0.97 RON 4.62

41.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 RON 9.62

$0.65 RON 3.09

210.77%

Eggs

$3.32 RON 15.77

$1.28 RON 6.07

159.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.45 RON 40.16

$3.36 RON 15.99

151.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 RON 31.59

$3.89 RON 18.47

70.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 46.18

$4.23 RON 20.09

129.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 RON 6.52

$1.02 RON 4.87

34.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.85

$1.24 RON 5.89

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.66

$1.66 RON 7.89

-3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 RON 10.07

$0.62 RON 2.94

241.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.77

$0.66 RON 3.11

19.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.27

$0.66 RON 3.12

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 RON 5.23

$0.90 RON 4.27

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.55

$0.61 RON 2.90

57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 RON 29.64

$4.85 RON 23.04

28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 RON 32.92

$4.31 RON 20.48

60.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 6.21

$1.20 RON 5.70

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RON 9.71

$1.72 RON 8.19

18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.80

$0.60 RON 2.86

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.14 RON 129

$21.22 RON 101

27.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 RON 3.83

$0.88 RON 4.17

-7.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.85

$0.87 RON 4.14

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 RON 38.98

$8.34 RON 39.66

-1.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RON 8.86

$1.91 RON 9.08

-2.62%

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

$28.2K RON 133.8K

$28.5K RON 135.5K

-1.19%

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

$26.0K RON 123.8K

$24.9K RON 118.3K

4.64%

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

$181 RON 859

$52.6 RON 250

243.25%

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

$7.23 RON 34.36

$8.27 RON 39.30

-12.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.61 RON 40.92

$9.56 RON 45.46

-9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.50 RON 207

$21.04 RON 100

106.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 RON 76.2

$25.03 RON 119

-35.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 40.75

$9.48 RON 45.07

-9.60%

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

$399 RON 1,898

$584 RON 2,776

-31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,646 RON 36.3K

$12.4K RON 59.1K

-38.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 RON 350

$88.5 RON 421

-16.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 RON 187

$43.68 RON 208

-10.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 RON 445

$97.1 RON 462

-3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 RON 424

$106 RON 502

-15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 RON 2,583

$182 RON 867

197.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,108

$212 RON 1,009

109.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 RON 3,876

$312 RON 1,482

161.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 RON 3,058

$314 RON 1,494

104.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,831 RON 13.5K

$1,320 RON 6,272

114.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,851 RON 8,798

$1,057 RON 5,022

75.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,142 RON 5,427

$919 RON 4,368

24.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.65

7.97%

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

Last update for Iasi: November 1, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iasi

$444 35.1%

Lugoj

$212 27.6% 52.2% $231

Groceries & Markets

Iasi

$217 17.1%

Lugoj

$130 16.9% 39.9% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iasi

$196 15.6%

Lugoj

$70 9.2% 64.1% $126

Eating Out

Iasi

$178 14.1%

Lugoj

$136 17.7% 23.5% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Iasi

$133 10.5%

Lugoj

$151 19.6% 13.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Iasi

$61 4.8%

Lugoj

$40 5.2% 34% $21

Getting Around

Iasi

$35 2.8%

Lugoj

$29 3.8% 18% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $544 in Iasi versus $182 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 24% 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 $42 in Iasi versus $34 in Lugoj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $130 – making Lugoj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Iasi

🇷🇴 Lugoj

🕒 Local time

04:44 4:44 AM

Same time as Iasi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

290,422

49,742

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Iasi Lugoj 460 km

From you

Iasi
Lugoj

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,263 in Iasi, $769 in Lugoj – Lugoj comes out roughly 39% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,895 per month in Iasi and $1,153 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $182 there versus $544 in Iasi.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Lugoj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $399 per month in Iasi and $584 in Lugoj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Lugoj, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Iasi at $1,263. 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 $769 in Lugoj to $1,263 in Iasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Lugoj. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.