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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Iasi vs $969 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,499 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Iasi vs $2,030 in Tulcea, rent included.

Iasi costs about 16% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Tulcea are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Tulcea 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 RON 47.60

$9.86 RON 44.76

6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 RON 229

$42.30 RON 192

19.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 RON 32.03

$7.89 RON 35.83

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.84

$2.70 RON 12.26

-3.33%

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

$2.09 RON 9.49

$1.94 RON 8.80

7.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.78

$1.94 RON 8.82

-11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.63

$2.28 RON 10.34

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.23

$3.54 RON 16.06

-5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.27

$1.40 RON 6.34

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.51

$1.09 RON 4.93

11.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.55

$1.69 RON 7.65

11.24%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.81

$2.39 RON 10.83

36.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 36.10

$8.87 RON 40.25

-10.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.39

$7.10 RON 32.23

-5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 RON 49.69

$8.93 RON 40.55

22.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$1.18 RON 5.34

5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.04

$1.47 RON 6.67

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.15

$1.29 RON 5.83

39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$1.96 RON 8.88

0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$0.74 RON 3.38

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.78

$0.89 RON 4.05

17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.70 RON 3.20

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.86 RON 3.89

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 RON 27.55

$5.88 RON 26.68

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.43

$6.80 RON 30.89

-1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.16

$0.98 RON 4.45

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.96

$1.41 RON 6.40

39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.71 RON 3.23

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 RON 127

$27.64 RON 125

0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$0.68 RON 3.08

36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.43

$0.65 RON 2.95

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 RON 37.51

$5.59 RON 25.38

47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$1.60 RON 7.27

5.00%

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

$28.3K RON 128.6K

$25.2K RON 114.4K

12.45%

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

$27.6K RON 125.1K

$26.9K RON 122.1K

2.46%

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

$158 RON 719

$92.2 RON 419

71.78%

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

$8.26 RON 37.48

$8.10 RON 36.77

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 46.56

$9.71 RON 44.07

5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.57 RON 211

$26.58 RON 121

75.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RON 84.7

$19.11 RON 86.8

-2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 RON 36.93

$6.71 RON 30.46

21.31%

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

$462 RON 2,098

$430 RON 1,952

7.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.6K

$6,893 RON 31.3K

0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 RON 286

$84.1 RON 382

-24.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 RON 196

$41.91 RON 190

3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 RON 385

$74.8 RON 339

13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 403

$96.4 RON 438

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 RON 2,178

$389 RON 1,766

23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 RON 1,645

$289 RON 1,314

25.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 RON 3,378

$577 RON 2,621

28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,495

$433 RON 1,966

26.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.4K

$1,329 RON 6,034

122.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 RON 9,103

$1,165 RON 5,287

72.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,359

$644 RON 2,921

83.44%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Iasi versus $389 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 83% 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 $50.0 in Iasi versus $42.00 in Tulcea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 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: $1,123 in Iasi, $969 in Tulcea – roughly 16% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Iasi and $1,454 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 1% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $430 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 $969, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $969 in Tulcea to $1,123 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.