Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mamaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mamaia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Iasi vs $1,045 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Iasi vs $1,599 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Iasi vs $2,153 in Mamaia, rent included.

Iasi costs about 11% more than Mamaia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Iasi and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Mamaia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 RON 44.45

$9.81 RON 42.77

3.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 RON 225

$46.66 RON 203

10.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 RON 30.87

$8.04 RON 35.07

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.30

$2.56 RON 11.17

1.17%

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

$2.09 RON 9.10

$1.91 RON 8.31

9.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.68

$1.73 RON 7.54

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 10.77

$2.29 RON 9.97

7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.26

$2.78 RON 12.11

25.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.52 RON 6.64

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.48

$1.22 RON 5.30

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.81

$1.67 RON 7.29

7.19%

Eggs

$3.11 RON 13.57

$3.33 RON 14.51

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 35.38

$8.60 RON 37.48

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$6.57 RON 28.64

3.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RON 48.26

$9.75 RON 42.53

13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.12

$1.18 RON 5.12

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.12

$1.53 RON 6.69

6.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.89

$1.55 RON 6.77

16.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.35

$2.11 RON 9.20

-9.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.81 RON 3.54

23.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.45

$0.90 RON 3.92

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.88 RON 3.84

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.82

$0.83 RON 3.64

6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.47

$5.92 RON 25.81

6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 RON 30.19

$6.21 RON 27.09

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.80

$1.02 RON 4.46

7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.40

$1.69 RON 7.37

14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$0.72 RON 3.14

6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.83 RON 121

$19.66 RON 85.7

41.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$0.76 RON 3.30

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.24

$0.71 RON 3.11

4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 RON 35.39

$6.75 RON 29.43

20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$1.62 RON 7.07

3.09%

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

$27.7K RON 120.9K

$27.9K RON 121.5K

-0.50%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$27.1K RON 118.3K

1.74%

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

$155 RON 676

$144 RON 629

7.47%

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

$8.32 RON 36.28

$7.88 RON 34.37

5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 43.93

$8.93 RON 38.94

12.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 205

$41.39 RON 180

13.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 81.1

$19.09 RON 83.2

-2.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 RON 35.39

$6.89 RON 30.03

17.85%

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

$462 RON 2,016

$427 RON 1,862

8.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,992 RON 30.5K

$6,823 RON 29.7K

2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 RON 273

$67.6 RON 295

-7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 RON 187

$39.61 RON 173

8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 364

$75.4 RON 329

10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 388

$94.3 RON 411

-5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,036

$383 RON 1,668

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,545

$287 RON 1,252

23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 RON 3,150

$598 RON 2,607

20.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 RON 2,403

$446 RON 1,943

23.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.7K

$1,910 RON 8,329

51.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 RON 8,033

$1,486 RON 6,479

23.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,942

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.5

13.38%

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

Last update for Iasi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Iasi versus $383 in Mamaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Iasi versus $47.00 in Mamaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $206 – making Mamaia 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 Mamaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,157 in Iasi, $1,045 in Mamaia – roughly 11% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Iasi and $1,568 in Mamaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 42% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $427 in Mamaia. 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 Mamaia, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Iasi at $1,157. In Mamaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mamaia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in Mamaia 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 Mamaia. 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.