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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Iasi vs $1,015 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,555 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Iasi vs $2,096 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 16% lower, Mamaia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 RON 47.43

$9.76 RON 44.15

7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 RON 228

$46.49 RON 210

8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 RON 31.91

$7.96 RON 36.01

-11.31%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.79

$2.66 RON 12.03

-1.88%

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

$2.09 RON 9.45

$1.93 RON 8.73

8.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.71 RON 7.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.58

$2.27 RON 10.28

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$2.78 RON 12.59

20.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.25

$1.54 RON 6.95

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.49

$1.26 RON 5.68

-3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.52

$1.71 RON 7.73

9.94%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.76

$3.21 RON 14.53

1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.97

$8.35 RON 37.77

-4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.28

$6.69 RON 30.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 RON 49.51

$9.91 RON 44.83

10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.62

$1.15 RON 5.20

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.01

$1.58 RON 7.17

-1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.55 RON 7.03

16.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$2.14 RON 9.69

-7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$0.87 RON 3.92

12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.77

$0.88 RON 3.99

19.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.56

$0.93 RON 4.21

8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.85 RON 3.82

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 RON 27.45

$6.04 RON 27.31

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$6.21 RON 28.08

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.07 RON 4.83

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$1.64 RON 7.40

20.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.68 RON 3.07

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 RON 126

$19.56 RON 88.5

42.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$0.71 RON 3.23

30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.41

$0.75 RON 3.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 RON 37.38

$6.77 RON 30.63

22.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.57 RON 7.08

7.01%

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

$28.3K RON 128.2K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

-0.21%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$27.5K RON 124.6K

0.01%

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

$158 RON 717

$146 RON 662

8.17%

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

$8.26 RON 37.35

$8.19 RON 37.05

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 46.40

$8.91 RON 40.29

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.57 RON 211

$41.81 RON 189

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RON 84.4

$19.00 RON 86.0

-1.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 RON 36.80

$6.97 RON 31.52

16.79%

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

$462 RON 2,090

$422 RON 1,909

9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.5K

$6,856 RON 31.0K

1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 RON 285

$68.5 RON 310

-7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 RON 195

$40.38 RON 183

6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 RON 384

$74.8 RON 338

13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 402

$95.4 RON 431

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 RON 2,170

$391 RON 1,770

22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 RON 1,639

$290 RON 1,313

24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 RON 3,366

$583 RON 2,637

27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,486

$439 RON 1,986

25.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.4K

$1,872 RON 8,466

57.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 RON 9,071

$1,515 RON 6,851

32.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,340

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Iasi versus $391 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 $50.0 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Mamaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $207 – 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: $1,123 in Iasi, $1,015 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 $1,684 per month in Iasi and $1,522 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 43% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $422 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 $1,015, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $1,015 in Mamaia to $1,123 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.