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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Iasi vs $980 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Iasi vs $1,496 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,282 per month in Iasi vs $2,012 in Tulcea, rent included.

Iasi costs about 17% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Tulcea are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Tulcea 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 RON 44.30

$9.98 RON 43.30

2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 RON 223

$42.04 RON 182

22.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 RON 29.47

$8.04 RON 34.91

-15.55%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RON 11.48

$2.67 RON 11.58

-0.75%

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

$2.03 RON 8.80

$1.99 RON 8.66

2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.39

$1.92 RON 8.35

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.13

$2.33 RON 10.10

9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 15.24

$3.42 RON 14.82

2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.21

$1.34 RON 5.82

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$1.05 RON 4.56

15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.11

$1.76 RON 7.64

6.25%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 13.93

$2.29 RON 9.94

40.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 RON 34.48

$8.65 RON 37.54

-8.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 RON 30.40

$7.21 RON 31.30

-2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 RON 46.89

$9.14 RON 39.67

18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.34

$1.22 RON 5.31

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.10

$1.42 RON 6.14

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.86

$1.29 RON 5.60

40.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.57

$1.99 RON 8.62

-1.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 3.97

$0.80 RON 3.46

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.94 RON 4.08

10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.36

$0.70 RON 3.02

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.46

$0.87 RON 3.77

-8.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.34

$5.65 RON 24.52

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 RON 30.09

$6.96 RON 30.19

-0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.76

$0.92 RON 3.99

19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.28

$1.41 RON 6.13

35.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.38

$0.71 RON 3.07

9.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.04 RON 122

$26.81 RON 116

4.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$0.72 RON 3.12

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.64 RON 2.80

15.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 RON 35.55

$5.60 RON 24.31

46.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.02

$1.61 RON 6.98

0.62%

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

$27.8K RON 120.7K

$25.1K RON 108.9K

10.88%

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

$27.8K RON 120.6K

$27.5K RON 119.5K

0.86%

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

$157 RON 679

$92.4 RON 401

69.36%

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

$8.37 RON 36.32

$7.88 RON 34.20

6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 42.82

$9.92 RON 43.05

-0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.63 RON 202

$26.81 RON 116

73.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 80.8

$19.04 RON 82.6

-2.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 34.02

$7.03 RON 30.49

11.52%

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

$476 RON 2,067

$434 RON 1,882

9.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,884 RON 29.9K

$7,053 RON 30.6K

-2.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 RON 269

$81.5 RON 354

-23.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.85 RON 190

$43.18 RON 187

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 RON 369

$73.3 RON 318

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 RON 384

$97.6 RON 424

-9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 RON 2,024

$387 RON 1,681

20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 RON 1,525

$290 RON 1,256

21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 RON 3,225

$594 RON 2,576

25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RON 2,371

$437 RON 1,896

25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.6K

$1,409 RON 6,113

106.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,783 RON 7,740

$1,188 RON 5,157

50.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,163 RON 5,046

$678 RON 2,944

71.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

6.5

13.38%

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

Last update for Iasi: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Iasi versus $387 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 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 $51 in Iasi versus $42 in Tulcea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $198 – making Tulcea 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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,145 in Iasi, $980 in Tulcea – roughly 17% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,717 per month in Iasi and $1,471 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 5% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Iasi and $434 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 $980, than in Iasi at $1,145. 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 $980 in Tulcea to $1,145 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.