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 $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $971 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,485 in Satu Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $1,999 in Satu Mare, rent included.

Iasi costs about 34% more than Satu Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Satu Mare are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Satu Mare 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.65

$8.77 RON 39.58

25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 198

$34.37 RON 155

27.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.36

$6.59 RON 29.75

18.82%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.42

$2.63 RON 11.88

12.93%

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

$2.21 RON 9.98

$1.54 RON 6.95

43.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.57

$1.35 RON 6.08

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.77

$2.01 RON 9.07

62.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.49

$2.49 RON 11.22

64.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.24 RON 5.61

34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.11 RON 5.01

28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.70

$1.15 RON 5.18

86.96%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$2.71 RON 12.23

29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.37

$7.65 RON 34.54

13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$7.97 RON 35.98

-18.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.42

$11.51 RON 52.0

-10.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.13 RON 5.11

23.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.38

$1.41 RON 6.39

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.84

$1.36 RON 6.14

27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.20

$1.42 RON 6.42

59.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.24 RON 5.61

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$1.37 RON 6.19

-31.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.22

$0.99 RON 4.46

17.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$0.71 RON 3.18

42.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.80

$5.71 RON 25.76

15.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.79

$6.51 RON 29.39

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.28 RON 5.78

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.96

$1.86 RON 8.41

18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.54 RON 2.42

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$24.69 RON 111

15.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.89 RON 4.03

-4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.92 RON 4.15

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.28

$8.40 RON 37.93

6.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.29

$1.61 RON 7.25

14.29%

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

$30.1K RON 135.8K

$23.8K RON 107.4K

26.41%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$25.8K RON 116.3K

13.04%

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

$192 RON 867

$130 RON 588

47.45%

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

$7.81 RON 35.26

$7.67 RON 34.64

1.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.34

$7.41 RON 33.46

20.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 209

$43.41 RON 196

6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.0

$11.27 RON 50.9

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 40.86

$6.66 RON 30.09

35.89%

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

$421 RON 1,902

$169 RON 762

149.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.2K

$4,064 RON 18.3K

80.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 341

$63.2 RON 285

19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 183

$29.98 RON 135

35.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 432

$88.7 RON 400

7.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 432

$73.3 RON 331

30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,509

$337 RON 1,522

64.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,989

$273 RON 1,230

61.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,134

$685 RON 3,092

33.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,151

$424 RON 1,915

64.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,046 RON 4,720

183.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 8,991

$1,086 RON 4,901

83.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,255

$704 RON 3,177

65.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.05

1.84%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $337 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 65% 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $34.00 in Satu Mare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $205 – 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: $1,305 in Iasi, $971 in Satu Mare – roughly 34% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,456 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 16% less in Satu Mare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Iasi and $169 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 $971, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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 $971 in Satu Mare to $1,305 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.