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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $1,174 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $1,802 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $2,429 in Medias, rent included.

Iasi costs about 9% more than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Medias 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$12.36 RON 56.6

-10.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$55.0 RON 252

-20.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.72

$7.95 RON 36.43

-4.65%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.80 RON 17.40

-18.68%

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

$2.12 RON 9.70

$2.57 RON 11.77

-17.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.37

$2.36 RON 10.80

-22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.19

$3.26 RON 14.92

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.68

$3.61 RON 16.52

6.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.31 RON 5.99

22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.44

$1.52 RON 6.98

-7.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.79 RON 8.20

17.88%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.85

$3.60 RON 16.50

-3.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$9.20 RON 42.14

-9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.16

$7.38 RON 33.83

-13.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.41

$13.33 RON 61.1

-24.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$1.56 RON 7.15

-10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.76

$1.58 RON 7.22

6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.67 RON 7.64

3.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$2.85 RON 13.04

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.81 RON 3.72

8.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.89 RON 4.08

5.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$0.94 RON 4.29

29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.85 RON 3.91

22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.64

$6.59 RON 30.18

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.58

$7.68 RON 35.18

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.43

$1.27 RON 5.82

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.80

$2.00 RON 9.14

7.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.75 RON 3.45

14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$22.39 RON 103

25.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.67 RON 3.08

29.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$0.71 RON 3.24

28.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.66

$6.95 RON 31.83

27.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.43

$1.43 RON 6.55

28.67%

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

$29.5K RON 135.3K

$29.8K RON 136.3K

-0.78%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

3.98%

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

$191 RON 873

$189 RON 865

1.03%

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

$7.41 RON 33.93

$8.31 RON 38.05

-10.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.72

$9.69 RON 44.37

-8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$39.39 RON 180

18.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.4

$21.47 RON 98.3

-23.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.22

$6.77 RON 31.00

26.44%

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

$416 RON 1,904

$464 RON 2,126

-10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 33.9K

$7,274 RON 33.3K

1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$53.6 RON 246

44.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$36.85 RON 169

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 440

$78.0 RON 357

23.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$95.1 RON 436

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,541

$397 RON 1,817

39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,059

$295 RON 1,352

52.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,240

$638 RON 2,921

45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,170

$471 RON 2,158

46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,908 RON 8,741

54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,051

$1,377 RON 6,309

43.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,275

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.2

-0.28%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $397 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $55.0 in Medias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $236 – making Iasi 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,275 in Iasi, $1,174 in Medias – roughly 9% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,913 per month in Iasi and $1,762 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 26% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Iasi and $464 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 $1,174, than in Iasi at $1,275. 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 $1,174 in Medias 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 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.