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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Iasi vs $989 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,510 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in Iasi vs $2,032 in Tulcea, rent included.

Iasi costs about 14% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Iasi and Tulcea are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Tulcea 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 RON 47.10

$9.82 RON 45.04

4.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 RON 234

$43.08 RON 198

18.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 RON 31.08

$7.66 RON 35.14

-11.49%

Cappuccino

$2.72 RON 12.49

$2.71 RON 12.41

0.37%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.90 RON 8.73

11.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.78

$1.93 RON 8.85

-11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 RON 11.50

$2.26 RON 10.36

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.92

$3.54 RON 16.24

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.29

$1.35 RON 6.20

1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$1.04 RON 4.79

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.60

$1.75 RON 8.03

7.43%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.17

$2.37 RON 10.87

30.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 RON 37.48

$8.51 RON 39.03

-4.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.85

$7.10 RON 32.54

-2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 RON 49.56

$8.92 RON 40.91

21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.71

$1.21 RON 5.53

3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.21

$1.42 RON 6.50

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.29 RON 5.93

39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.63

$1.92 RON 8.79

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.76 RON 3.50

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.93 RON 4.27

11.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$0.75 RON 3.42

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.86 RON 3.96

-3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 RON 28.12

$5.73 RON 26.29

6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 RON 29.73

$6.91 RON 31.66

-6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.97

$0.90 RON 4.14

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.37 RON 6.28

40.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.70 RON 3.22

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.59 RON 127

$27.46 RON 126

0.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$0.72 RON 3.32

29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$0.61 RON 2.79

24.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 RON 36.60

$5.64 RON 25.88

41.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.55 RON 7.12

9.03%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$25.4K RON 116.3K

12.44%

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

$27.9K RON 127.9K

$27.5K RON 126.1K

1.40%

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

$157 RON 718

$93.4 RON 428

67.74%

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

$8.46 RON 38.79

$7.81 RON 35.80

8.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 RON 46.72

$10.17 RON 46.63

0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 RON 217

$26.06 RON 119

81.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 RON 82.8

$19.54 RON 89.6

-7.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 RON 36.55

$6.84 RON 31.38

16.52%

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

$475 RON 2,179

$434 RON 1,991

9.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,939 RON 31.8K

$6,793 RON 31.1K

2.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$83.3 RON 382

-26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 RON 200

$42.93 RON 197

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 386

$73.4 RON 336

14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 407

$98.2 RON 450

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 RON 2,207

$384 RON 1,762

25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,607

$295 RON 1,353

18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,328

$577 RON 2,645

25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 RON 2,475

$436 RON 1,998

23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.6K

$1,299 RON 5,955

127.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 RON 8,877

$1,130 RON 5,180

71.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,143 RON 5,240

$641 RON 2,937

78.41%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Iasi versus $384 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 78% 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 $43.00 in Tulcea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $196 – 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: $1,128 in Iasi, $989 in Tulcea – roughly 14% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,691 per month in Iasi and $1,483 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 0% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $475 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 $989, than in Iasi at $1,128. 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 $989 in Tulcea to $1,128 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.