Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Medias Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Medias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Iasi vs $1,128 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Iasi vs $1,718 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Iasi vs $2,307 in Medias, rent included.

Iasi costs about 1% more than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Medias 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$12.38 RON 56.3

-14.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$50.3 RON 228

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$8.13 RON 36.97

-16.97%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$3.40 RON 15.46

-23.24%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$1.90 RON 8.66

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$2.07 RON 9.40

-18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$3.20 RON 14.54

-21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$3.36 RON 15.27

0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.35 RON 6.13

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

$1.34 RON 6.10

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.78 RON 8.11

2.25%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$3.35 RON 15.25

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$8.43 RON 38.31

-3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.82 RON 30.99

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$11.98 RON 54.5

-7.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.19 RON 5.39

4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.65 RON 7.51

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.61 RON 7.30

9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$2.43 RON 11.06

-21.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$1.00 RON 4.53

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$1.03 RON 4.70

-1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$0.87 RON 3.94

18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.80 RON 3.63

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.97 RON 27.13

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$7.76 RON 35.29

-15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.14 RON 5.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.65 RON 7.50

15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.72 RON 3.29

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$19.59 RON 89.1

41.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.71 RON 3.22

23.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.81 RON 3.68

-8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$7.03 RON 31.97

17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.52 RON 6.90

9.21%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.2K RON 128.1K

1.08%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$27.5K RON 125.0K

-0.92%

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

$157 RON 712

$162 RON 734

-3.08%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$8.03 RON 36.49

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$8.94 RON 40.63

8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$41.32 RON 188

13.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$19.14 RON 87.0

-5.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$7.01 RON 31.88

16.41%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$452 RON 2,055

3.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$6,675 RON 30.3K

2.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$68.0 RON 309

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$43.75 RON 199

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$95.5 RON 434

-11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$100 RON 456

-12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$389 RON 1,771

21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$286 RON 1,302

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$584 RON 2,654

25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$444 RON 2,017

20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$1,806 RON 8,210

63.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,280 RON 5,821

52.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

7.7

-4.29%

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

Last update for Iasi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medias: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $389 in Medias. 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 $50.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Iasi vs $220 in Medias – so Iasi 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,141 in Iasi, $1,128 in Medias – roughly 1% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Iasi and $1,692 in Medias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Iasi and $452 in Medias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medias, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Iasi at $1,141. In Medias 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 $1,128 in Medias 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 Medias. 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.