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 $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $947 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $1,455 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $1,962 in Satu Mare, rent included.

Iasi costs about 20% more than Satu Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Satu Mare are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Satu Mare 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.54

$8.97 RON 40.57

17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$46.81 RON 212

9.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.43

$6.73 RON 30.41

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.12

$2.44 RON 11.04

9.84%

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

$2.08 RON 9.38

$1.72 RON 7.79

20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.46 RON 6.60

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.11

$2.01 RON 9.08

22.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.45

$2.27 RON 10.28

50.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.51 RON 6.84

-7.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.13 RON 5.12

7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.27 RON 5.72

47.24%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.49

$3.09 RON 13.95

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.94

$8.29 RON 37.48

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.28

$6.32 RON 28.56

6.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.66

$11.36 RON 51.4

-3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.09 RON 4.91

13.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.50 RON 6.77

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.40 RON 6.32

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.89

$1.79 RON 8.08

10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.47

$0.71 RON 3.22

39.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.98 RON 4.45

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.67 RON 3.01

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.77 RON 3.48

11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.81

$5.71 RON 25.82

11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.88

$6.47 RON 29.26

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.25 RON 5.64

-12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.67 RON 7.56

18.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.59 RON 2.68

44.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$25.41 RON 115

6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$0.83 RON 3.74

7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.87 RON 3.94

-19.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.44

$7.32 RON 33.08

7.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.55 RON 7.00

7.10%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$25.1K RON 113.7K

13.49%

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

$27.3K RON 123.6K

$25.4K RON 115.0K

7.48%

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

$156 RON 707

$137 RON 621

13.87%

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

$8.47 RON 38.31

$8.00 RON 36.14

5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.17

$9.30 RON 42.06

9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$48.87 RON 221

-3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.5

$11.66 RON 52.7

56.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.95

$6.79 RON 30.70

20.32%

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

$463 RON 2,093

$187 RON 844

147.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$10.3K RON 46.3K

-31.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$65.8 RON 297

-5.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 193

$30.23 RON 137

41.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 390

$81.2 RON 367

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$76.5 RON 346

13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,144

$304 RON 1,374

56.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,634

$236 RON 1,069

52.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,391

$546 RON 2,469

37.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,488

$348 RON 1,574

58.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$1,057 RON 4,776

191.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,025

$1,117 RON 5,048

78.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,383

$689 RON 3,115

72.82%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $304 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 73% 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $47.00 in Satu Mare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 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: $1,137 in Iasi, $947 in Satu Mare – roughly 20% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,421 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 7% less in Satu Mare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Iasi and $187 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 $947, than in Iasi at $1,137. 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 $947 in Satu Mare to $1,137 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.