Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mangalia Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mangalia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $1,111 in Mangalia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $1,710 in Mangalia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $2,309 in Mangalia, rent included.

Iasi costs about 15% more than Mangalia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Mangalia are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Mangalia 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$12.16 RON 55.7

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$49.26 RON 226

-11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.72

$8.07 RON 36.97

-6.07%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.15 RON 14.44

-1.90%

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

$2.12 RON 9.70

$2.14 RON 9.82

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.37

$2.25 RON 10.30

-18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.19

$2.58 RON 11.81

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.68

$3.47 RON 15.90

11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.69 RON 7.74

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.44

$1.22 RON 5.59

15.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.63 RON 7.44

29.45%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.85

$3.26 RON 14.94

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$7.89 RON 36.15

5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.16

$6.89 RON 31.58

-7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.41

$10.05 RON 46.02

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$1.36 RON 6.22

2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.76

$1.80 RON 8.22

-6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.51 RON 6.92

14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$2.03 RON 9.31

10.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.82 RON 3.74

7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.74 RON 3.37

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$0.71 RON 3.26

71.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.84 RON 3.84

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.64

$6.62 RON 30.31

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.58

$6.98 RON 31.97

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.43

$1.04 RON 4.76

34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.80

$1.47 RON 6.73

45.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.68 RON 3.12

26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$22.51 RON 103

25.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.68 RON 3.13

27.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$0.68 RON 3.12

33.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.66

$6.76 RON 30.95

31.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.43

$1.88 RON 8.63

-2.13%

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

$29.5K RON 135.3K

$29.0K RON 132.8K

1.83%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$25.9K RON 118.6K

8.38%

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

$191 RON 873

$163 RON 747

16.95%

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

$7.41 RON 33.93

$6.54 RON 29.96

13.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.72

$9.33 RON 42.74

-4.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$39.71 RON 182

17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.4

$22.39 RON 103

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.22

$8.94 RON 40.96

-4.25%

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

$416 RON 1,904

$415 RON 1,903

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 33.9K

$6,106 RON 28.0K

21.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$77.8 RON 356

-0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$45.17 RON 207

-11.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 440

$94.3 RON 432

1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$102 RON 466

-6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,541

$403 RON 1,848

37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,059

$330 RON 1,511

36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,240

$672 RON 3,080

37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,170

$406 RON 1,859

70.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,903 RON 8,716

55.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,051

$1,535 RON 7,030

28.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,275

$762 RON 3,489

51.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.85

-8.54%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $403 in Mangalia. 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 51% 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $49.00 in Mangalia. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Iasi vs $210 in Mangalia – so Mangalia 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 Mangalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,275 in Iasi, $1,111 in Mangalia – roughly 15% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,913 per month in Iasi and $1,666 in Mangalia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 25% less in Mangalia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Iasi and $415 in Mangalia. 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 Mangalia, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Iasi at $1,275. In Mangalia 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 $1,111 in Mangalia to $1,275 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 Mangalia. 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.