Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Satu Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Satu Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $973 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,472 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $1,972 in Satu Mare, rent included.

Iasi costs about 19% more than Satu Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Satu Mare are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Satu Mare 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$9.49 RON 43.54

9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$46.08 RON 212

11.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$6.77 RON 31.06

5.17%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$2.42 RON 11.11

8.68%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.72 RON 7.89

22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.40 RON 6.42

22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$2.13 RON 9.79

15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$2.27 RON 10.40

48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.48 RON 6.81

-3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.13 RON 5.21

7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.24 RON 5.70

52.42%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$3.21 RON 14.75

-3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$7.91 RON 36.29

2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.38 RON 29.28

8.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$11.47 RON 52.7

-5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.14 RON 5.24

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.43 RON 6.57

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.42 RON 6.50

20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.80 RON 8.27

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.72 RON 3.31

30.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.01 RON 4.65

-0.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.68 RON 3.11

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.78 RON 3.58

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$5.80 RON 26.62

8.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$6.55 RON 30.08

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.21 RON 5.56

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$1.72 RON 7.90

11.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.56 RON 2.55

41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$25.62 RON 118

9.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$0.91 RON 4.18

3.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.81 RON 3.70

-12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$7.35 RON 33.74

10.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.60 RON 7.34

5.00%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$25.0K RON 114.7K

14.11%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$26.0K RON 119.3K

6.62%

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

$157 RON 718

$139 RON 636

12.95%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$8.08 RON 37.10

5.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$9.45 RON 43.38

8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$47.91 RON 220

-1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$11.58 RON 53.2

59.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$6.87 RON 31.52

16.45%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$181 RON 832

159.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$10.2K RON 46.6K

-32.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$65.4 RON 300

-6.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$30.97 RON 142

40.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$83.7 RON 384

3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$77.8 RON 357

12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$309 RON 1,417

53.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$241 RON 1,105

49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$543 RON 2,491

36.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$343 RON 1,573

55.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,039 RON 4,771

180.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$1,078 RON 4,950

79.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$692 RON 3,174

70.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.66

10.66%

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

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi versus $309 in Satu Mare. 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 71% 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $46.00 in Satu Mare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $202 – making Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,156 in Iasi, $973 in Satu Mare – roughly 19% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,734 per month in Iasi and $1,459 in Satu Mare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 9% less in Satu Mare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $471 per month in Iasi and $181 in Satu Mare. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Satu Mare, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Satu Mare 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 $973 in Satu Mare to $1,156 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 Satu Mare. 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.