Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Iasi is about 23% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Iasi sits 7% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$11.92 MX$206

-7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$51.6 MX$890

-15.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.78

$11.41 MX$197

-33.57%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.18

$3.99 MX$68.9

-22.56%

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

$2.12 RON 9.72

$1.66 MX$28.61

27.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.33 MX$22.87

37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.21

$3.47 MX$59.9

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.71

$5.90 MX$102

-34.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

$1.88 MX$32.36

-14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.45

$3.25 MX$56.1

-56.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.69

$2.16 MX$37.26

-2.31%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.88

$2.90 MX$49.94

19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.11

$12.86 MX$222

-35.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.21

$10.05 MX$173

-36.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.48

$15.86 MX$273

-36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$3.29 MX$56.8

-57.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$2.01 MX$34.60

-15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$2.20 MX$37.93

-21.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$2.36 MX$40.63

-4.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$2.05 MX$35.43

-57.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$1.90 MX$32.79

-50.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.61 MX$27.68

-24.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$1.40 MX$24.09

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.69

$5.46 MX$94.2

18.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.63

$17.65 MX$304

-63.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.45

$2.06 MX$35.44

-32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.82

$4.68 MX$80.8

-54.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$0.34 MX$5.84

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$20.81 MX$359

35.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$2.10 MX$36.15

-58.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.56 MX$9.64

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.73

$5.81 MX$100

52.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.44

$1.61 MX$27.68

14.29%

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

$29.5K RON 135.5K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

29.28%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

4.93%

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

$191 RON 875

$65.2 MX$1,124

192.53%

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

$7.41 RON 33.98

$30.09 MX$519

-75.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.78

$37.18 MX$641

-76.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$59.8 MX$1,030

-21.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.5

$26.55 MX$458

-38.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.28

$7.04 MX$121

21.59%

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

$416 RON 1,907

$465 MX$8,012

-10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 34.0K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-44.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$75.9 MX$1,308

2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$56.0 MX$965

-28.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 441

$112 MX$1,929

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$121 MX$2,078

-21.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,545

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,062

$721 MX$12.4K

-37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,247

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-63.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,175

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-46.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-26.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,065

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-5.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,284

$1,037 MX$17.9K

11.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

11.3

-36.46%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $1,103 in Mexico City. 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 11% higher in Iasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $345 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,275 in Iasi, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 30% apart. Mexico City 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 $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 35% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Iasi and $465 in Mexico City. 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 Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Iasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,275 in Iasi to $1,660 in Mexico City. 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 Iasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.