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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Iasi vs $1,020 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Iasi vs $1,568 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Iasi vs $2,115 in Mamaia, rent included.

Iasi costs about 26% more than Mamaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Mamaia 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.7

$9.74 RON 44.14

14.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$45.93 RON 208

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.54

$7.99 RON 36.22

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$2.61 RON 11.84

13.79%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$1.99 RON 9.01

11.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$1.78 RON 8.05

7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.31

$2.33 RON 10.54

45.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.66

$2.72 RON 12.34

43.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.48 RON 6.70

12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$1.22 RON 5.51

13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.62 RON 7.32

26.54%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.95

$3.23 RON 14.63

8.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.90

$8.38 RON 37.98

-0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.10

$6.53 RON 29.58

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.24

$9.79 RON 44.34

6.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$1.18 RON 5.33

22.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.73

$1.52 RON 6.88

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.62 RON 7.34

9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$2.19 RON 9.91

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.85 RON 3.85

3.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.95 RON 4.31

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.94 RON 4.26

29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.78 RON 3.52

29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.91

$5.89 RON 26.68

15.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.48

$6.30 RON 28.56

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.06 RON 4.81

32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$1.65 RON 7.48

34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.72 RON 3.27

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$19.53 RON 88.5

46.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$0.71 RON 3.23

30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.72 RON 3.25

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.46

$7.05 RON 31.95

23.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$1.55 RON 7.02

18.71%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$28.1K RON 127.5K

6.47%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$27.2K RON 123.4K

5.08%

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

$191 RON 865

$144 RON 652

32.76%

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

$7.82 RON 35.42

$8.22 RON 37.26

-4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.09

$9.01 RON 40.81

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 213

$40.89 RON 185

14.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$18.99 RON 86.1

-12.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.79

$6.92 RON 31.36

26.88%

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

$414 RON 1,875

$424 RON 1,923

-2.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.9K

$7,060 RON 32.0K

2.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$69.3 RON 314

7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$40.71 RON 184

-1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$76.2 RON 345

24.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$95.1 RON 431

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,526

$394 RON 1,783

41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,032

$295 RON 1,337

51.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,224

$591 RON 2,679

57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,137

$439 RON 1,988

57.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$1,864 RON 8,444

60.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,045

$1,512 RON 6,850

32.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,452

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.5

10.46%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Iasi versus $394 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Iasi vs $205 in Mamaia – so Mamaia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,287 in Iasi, $1,020 in Mamaia – roughly 26% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Iasi and $1,531 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 46% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in Iasi and $424 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 $1,020, than in Iasi at $1,287. 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 $1,020 in Mamaia to $1,287 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.