Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Tulcea Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Tulcea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Iasi vs $1,040 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Iasi vs $1,669 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Iasi vs $2,297 in Tulcea, rent included.

Iasi costs about 24% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Tulcea are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Tulcea 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.5

$12.39 RON 55.9

-9.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 200

$48.71 RON 220

-9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.41

$8.13 RON 36.69

-3.57%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.41

$2.27 RON 10.24

30.84%

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

$2.21 RON 9.99

$2.19 RON 9.90

0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$1.13 RON 5.11

69.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.26

$2.27 RON 10.26

48.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.60

$2.25 RON 10.17

73.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.71 RON 7.71

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.24

$1.09 RON 4.94

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.26

$1.57 RON 7.07

30.57%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$3.27 RON 14.78

7.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.76

$8.32 RON 37.56

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 29.99

$6.96 RON 31.42

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.07

$9.72 RON 43.89

7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.56

$1.36 RON 6.14

6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.70

$1.76 RON 7.94

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.50 RON 6.78

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.22

$2.03 RON 9.17

11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.80 RON 3.63

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$0.76 RON 3.42

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.49

$0.71 RON 3.21

71.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.56

$0.80 RON 3.62

26.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.80

$6.71 RON 30.29

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.37

$6.78 RON 30.59

-3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.31

$1.04 RON 4.70

34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.02

$1.53 RON 6.90

45.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$1.14 RON 5.13

-25.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$19.21 RON 86.7

48.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.18

$0.64 RON 2.87

45.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.13

$0.67 RON 3.03

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.32

$6.45 RON 29.12

35.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.32

$1.78 RON 8.04

3.37%

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

$30.0K RON 135.2K

$29.1K RON 131.3K

3.02%

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

$28.6K RON 129.2K

$26.1K RON 118.0K

9.49%

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

$191 RON 862

$139 RON 626

37.71%

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

$7.82 RON 35.30

$8.66 RON 39.10

-9.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 40.94

$8.86 RON 39.98

2.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$32.59 RON 147

43.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 74.8

$17.46 RON 78.8

-5.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.65

$8.83 RON 39.84

-0.57%

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

$414 RON 1,868

$329 RON 1,487

25.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.7K

$3,336 RON 15.1K

117.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 336

$54.9 RON 248

35.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$32.70 RON 148

23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 427

$98.0 RON 443

-3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 434

$100.0 RON 451

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,517

$370 RON 1,672

50.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,025

$296 RON 1,337

51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,209

$636 RON 2,873

46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,125

$534 RON 2,409

29.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.5K

$1,053 RON 4,753

184.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,012

$938 RON 4,236

112.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,432

$669 RON 3,022

79.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

6.85

4.82%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Iasi versus $370 in Tulcea. 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 80% 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 $49.00 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Iasi vs $208 in Tulcea – so Tulcea 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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Iasi, $1,040 in Tulcea – roughly 24% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Iasi and $1,561 in Tulcea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 49% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in Iasi and $329 in Tulcea. 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 Tulcea, where all-in costs run around $1,040, than in Iasi at $1,287. In Tulcea 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 $1,040 in Tulcea to $1,287 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 Tulcea. 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.