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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Iasi vs $854 in Lugoj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Iasi vs $1,283 in Lugoj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Iasi vs $1,712 in Lugoj, rent included.

Iasi costs about 35% more than Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Lugoj are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Lugoj 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 RON 44.45

$9.00 RON 39.22

13.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 RON 225

$27.29 RON 119

89.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 RON 30.87

$5.87 RON 25.61

20.61%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.30

$1.17 RON 5.12

121.37%

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

$2.09 RON 9.10

$1.18 RON 5.16

77.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.68

$0.91 RON 3.96

93.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 10.77

$2.26 RON 9.87

9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.26

$1.63 RON 7.10

114.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.50 RON 6.54

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.48

$0.95 RON 4.13

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.81

$0.68 RON 2.96

163.24%

Eggs

$3.11 RON 13.57

$1.41 RON 6.17

120.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 35.38

$3.75 RON 16.34

116.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$4.35 RON 18.97

55.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RON 48.26

$4.58 RON 19.95

141.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.12

$1.18 RON 5.16

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.12

$1.37 RON 5.97

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.89

$1.53 RON 6.66

18.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.35

$0.68 RON 2.96

182.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.70 RON 3.06

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.45

$0.68 RON 2.96

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.79 RON 3.44

26.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.82

$0.72 RON 3.12

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.47

$5.23 RON 22.82

20.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 RON 30.19

$4.67 RON 20.38

48.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.80

$1.30 RON 5.66

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.40

$1.80 RON 7.84

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$0.71 RON 3.09

8.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.83 RON 121

$19.47 RON 84.9

42.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$0.61 RON 2.64

47.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.24

$0.82 RON 3.56

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 RON 35.39

$6.75 RON 29.42

20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$1.60 RON 6.98

4.37%

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

$27.7K RON 120.9K

$27.7K RON 120.7K

0.22%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$27.6K RON 120.2K

0.12%

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

$155 RON 676

$56.8 RON 247

173.36%

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

$8.32 RON 36.28

$8.14 RON 35.49

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 43.93

$11.59 RON 50.5

-13.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 205

$40.75 RON 178

15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 81.1

$18.92 RON 82.5

-1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 RON 35.39

$6.49 RON 28.30

25.12%

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

$462 RON 2,016

$443 RON 1,933

4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,992 RON 30.5K

$8,839 RON 38.5K

-20.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 RON 273

$80.3 RON 350

-22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 RON 187

$36.85 RON 161

16.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 364

$78.5 RON 342

6.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 388

$86.4 RON 377

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,036

$392 RON 1,709

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,545

$295 RON 1,288

19.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 RON 3,150

$599 RON 2,611

20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 RON 2,403

$444 RON 1,934

24.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.7K

$1,804 RON 7,865

60.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 RON 8,033

$1,395 RON 6,081

32.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,942

$1,037 RON 4,521

9.31%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Iasi versus $392 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 9% 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $27.00 in Lugoj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $138 – 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: $1,157 in Iasi, $854 in Lugoj – roughly 35% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Iasi and $1,281 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 43% less in Lugoj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $443 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 $854, than in Iasi at $1,157. 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 $854 in Lugoj to $1,157 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.