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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Iasi vs $1,119 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Iasi vs $1,699 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Iasi vs $2,280 in Medias, rent included.

Iasi costs about 3% more than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Medias 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 RON 44.45

$12.44 RON 54.3

-18.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 RON 225

$50.9 RON 222

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 RON 30.87

$7.96 RON 34.71

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.30

$3.57 RON 15.55

-27.45%

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

$2.09 RON 9.10

$1.98 RON 8.62

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.68

$2.09 RON 9.11

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 10.77

$3.19 RON 13.90

-22.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.26

$3.47 RON 15.11

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.35 RON 5.87

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.48

$1.30 RON 5.65

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 7.81

$1.83 RON 7.96

-2.19%

Eggs

$3.11 RON 13.57

$3.35 RON 14.60

-7.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 35.38

$8.54 RON 37.23

-5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$7.07 RON 30.81

-4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 RON 48.26

$11.89 RON 51.8

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.12

$1.19 RON 5.20

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.12

$1.65 RON 7.21

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.89

$1.55 RON 6.78

16.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.35

$2.39 RON 10.42

-19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$1.00 RON 4.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.45

$1.04 RON 4.52

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.38

$0.89 RON 3.86

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.82

$0.82 RON 3.60

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.47

$5.76 RON 25.13

9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 RON 30.19

$7.07 RON 30.82

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.80

$1.11 RON 4.82

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.40

$1.70 RON 7.42

13.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$0.67 RON 2.93

14.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.83 RON 121

$19.64 RON 85.6

41.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$0.76 RON 3.30

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.24

$0.81 RON 3.51

-8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 RON 35.39

$7.05 RON 30.74

15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$1.49 RON 6.49

12.08%

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

$27.7K RON 120.9K

$28.5K RON 124.4K

-2.81%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$27.5K RON 119.9K

0.41%

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

$155 RON 676

$166 RON 726

-6.80%

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

$8.32 RON 36.28

$7.98 RON 34.78

4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 43.93

$8.95 RON 39.03

12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 205

$41.75 RON 182

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 81.1

$19.21 RON 83.7

-3.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 RON 35.39

$7.04 RON 30.69

15.34%

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

$462 RON 2,016

$440 RON 1,921

4.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,992 RON 30.5K

$6,542 RON 28.5K

6.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 RON 273

$67.6 RON 295

-7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 RON 187

$42.69 RON 186

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 RON 364

$96.4 RON 420

-13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 RON 388

$99.4 RON 433

-10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,036

$383 RON 1,670

21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,545

$292 RON 1,275

21.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 RON 3,150

$585 RON 2,550

23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 RON 2,403

$446 RON 1,943

23.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.7K

$1,733 RON 7,554

67.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 RON 8,033

$1,318 RON 5,746

39.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,942

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medias: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Iasi versus $383 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $51.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Iasi vs $219 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: $1,157 in Iasi, $1,119 in Medias – roughly 3% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Iasi and $1,678 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 42% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $440 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 $1,119, than in Iasi at $1,157. 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 $1,119 in Medias to $1,157 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.