Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Zalau Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Zalau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Iasi vs $913 in Zalau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Iasi vs $1,404 in Zalau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Iasi vs $1,895 in Zalau, rent included.

Iasi costs about 40% more than Zalau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Zalau are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Zalau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 RON 50.6

$7.72 RON 35.38

42.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 RON 201

$36.12 RON 165

21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.72

$5.63 RON 25.81

34.64%

Cappuccino

$3.09 RON 14.16

$2.37 RON 10.85

30.38%

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

$2.12 RON 9.70

$1.54 RON 7.03

37.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.37

$1.30 RON 5.97

40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 RON 15.19

$1.97 RON 9.03

68.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 RON 17.68

$2.41 RON 11.03

60.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.41 RON 6.47

13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.44

$1.13 RON 5.18

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.35 RON 6.19

56.30%

Eggs

$3.46 RON 15.85

$2.08 RON 9.51

66.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$8.53 RON 39.07

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 29.16

$6.01 RON 27.52

5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.41

$10.67 RON 48.88

-5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$0.93 RON 4.25

49.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.76

$1.40 RON 6.42

20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.53 RON 7.02

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$1.89 RON 8.67

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.68 RON 3.11

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.56 RON 2.59

67.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$0.64 RON 2.95

90.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.75

$0.79 RON 3.63

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.64

$5.17 RON 23.68

25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.58

$5.40 RON 24.76

19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.43

$1.13 RON 5.18

23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 RON 9.80

$1.25 RON 5.74

71.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.85 RON 3.90

1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.18 RON 129

$22.91 RON 105

23.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.85 RON 3.88

2.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$0.93 RON 4.28

-2.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 RON 40.66

$8.13 RON 37.24

9.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.43

$1.61 RON 7.36

14.29%

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

$29.5K RON 135.3K

$29.9K RON 137.1K

-1.35%

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

$28.1K RON 128.6K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

2.89%

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

$191 RON 873

$108 RON 493

77.24%

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

$7.41 RON 33.93

$4.47 RON 20.49

65.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.89 RON 40.72

$6.77 RON 31.00

31.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 RON 215

$34.58 RON 158

35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 RON 75.4

$21.01 RON 96.2

-21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 RON 39.22

$5.56 RON 25.48

53.96%

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

$416 RON 1,904

$456 RON 2,088

-8.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 RON 33.9K

$7,261 RON 33.3K

1.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 RON 355

$55.2 RON 253

40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 RON 184

$31.04 RON 142

29.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 440

$60.1 RON 275

59.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 RON 434

$67.7 RON 310

39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 RON 2,541

$408 RON 1,869

35.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,059

$297 RON 1,361

51.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 RON 4,240

$626 RON 2,866

47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,170

$479 RON 2,193

44.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 RON 13.5K

$1,934 RON 8,859

52.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 RON 9,051

$1,430 RON 6,549

38.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,152 RON 5,275

$645 RON 2,952

78.67%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Zalau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Iasi versus $408 in Zalau. 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 79% 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 $36.00 in Zalau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $190 – making Zalau 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 Zalau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,275 in Iasi, $913 in Zalau – roughly 40% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,913 per month in Iasi and $1,369 in Zalau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Iasi and $456 in Zalau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zalau, where all-in costs run around $913, than in Iasi at $1,275. In Zalau 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 $913 in Zalau to $1,275 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 Zalau. 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.