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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Iasi vs $1,037 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Iasi vs $1,555 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Iasi vs $2,073 in Mamaia, rent included.

Iasi costs about 10% 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

$10.56 RON 48.20

$10.05 RON 45.90

5.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 233

$45.29 RON 207

12.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.83

$7.63 RON 34.83

-11.53%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.92

$2.56 RON 11.71

1.95%

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

$2.00 RON 9.13

$1.91 RON 8.74

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.67

$1.74 RON 7.93

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.40

$2.29 RON 10.45

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.41

$2.83 RON 12.90

19.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.34

$1.52 RON 6.93

-8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.75

$1.26 RON 5.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.62 RON 7.42

12.35%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.83

$3.30 RON 15.09

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.18

$8.46 RON 38.62

-3.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.29

$6.81 RON 31.10

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.4

$9.96 RON 45.49

10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.67

$1.19 RON 5.44

4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.39

$1.54 RON 7.02

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.10

$1.56 RON 7.13

13.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.74

$2.20 RON 10.06

-13.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.33

$0.88 RON 4.01

7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.93 RON 4.26

8.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.72

$0.90 RON 4.11

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$0.83 RON 3.81

3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.22

$5.98 RON 27.29

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.07

$6.15 RON 28.08

6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.19

$1.01 RON 4.62

12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.69

$1.62 RON 7.38

17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.71 RON 3.25

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$19.81 RON 90.5

39.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.03

$0.72 RON 3.29

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.39

$0.72 RON 3.28

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.86

$6.83 RON 31.18

21.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.54 RON 7.02

7.79%

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

$28.5K RON 130.0K

$28.4K RON 129.9K

0.10%

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

$27.2K RON 124.4K

$27.0K RON 123.4K

0.82%

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

$157 RON 715

$145 RON 662

8.03%

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

$8.32 RON 38.01

$7.94 RON 36.27

4.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.30

$9.23 RON 42.15

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 214

$41.76 RON 191

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 83.0

$19.30 RON 88.1

-5.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.25

$6.74 RON 30.79

21.07%

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

$469 RON 2,142

$432 RON 1,974

8.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.3K

$6,919 RON 31.6K

-0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 285

$69.0 RON 315

-9.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 200

$40.32 RON 184

8.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 384

$75.2 RON 344

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 400

$95.1 RON 434

-7.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,166

$386 RON 1,761

23.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,647

$286 RON 1,308

25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,335

$576 RON 2,631

26.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,441

$430 RON 1,962

24.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.5K

$1,920 RON 8,767

54.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,909

$1,473 RON 6,725

32.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,334

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $386 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $45.00 in Mamaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $208 – 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: $1,141 in Iasi, $1,037 in Mamaia – roughly 10% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Iasi and $1,555 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 40% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Iasi and $432 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 $1,037, than in Iasi at $1,141. 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 $1,037 in Mamaia to $1,141 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.