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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Iasi vs $958 in Zalau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,442 in Zalau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Iasi vs $1,925 in Zalau, rent included.

Iasi costs about 17% more than Zalau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Zalau are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Zalau 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 RON 47.43

$8.12 RON 36.74

29.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 RON 228

$34.00 RON 154

48.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 RON 31.91

$5.69 RON 25.72

24.08%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.79

$2.08 RON 9.41

25.48%

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

$2.09 RON 9.45

$2.07 RON 9.37

0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.73 RON 7.85

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.58

$2.78 RON 12.60

-7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.18

$2.80 RON 12.64

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.25

$1.51 RON 6.84

-8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.49

$1.25 RON 5.67

-3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.52

$1.35 RON 6.13

39.26%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.76

$2.23 RON 10.07

46.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.97

$7.88 RON 35.63

0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.28

$6.18 RON 27.97

8.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 RON 49.51

$8.59 RON 38.84

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.62

$0.96 RON 4.36

29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.01

$1.52 RON 6.89

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.58 RON 7.17

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$2.14 RON 9.67

-7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$0.67 RON 3.04

46.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.77

$0.71 RON 3.20

47.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.56

$0.66 RON 2.99

53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.91 RON 4.13

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 RON 27.45

$5.52 RON 24.95

9.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$5.35 RON 24.22

25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.04 RON 4.68

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$1.30 RON 5.88

51.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.94 RON 4.25

-15.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 RON 126

$19.41 RON 87.8

43.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$0.97 RON 4.37

-4.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.41

$0.79 RON 3.57

-5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 RON 37.38

$9.12 RON 41.26

-9.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.60 RON 7.22

5.00%

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

$28.3K RON 128.2K

$27.7K RON 125.1K

2.46%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$26.8K RON 121.4K

2.70%

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

$158 RON 717

$143 RON 645

11.12%

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

$8.26 RON 37.35

$4.54 RON 20.53

81.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 46.40

$7.11 RON 32.16

44.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.57 RON 211

$35.50 RON 161

31.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RON 84.4

$19.54 RON 88.4

-4.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 RON 36.80

$5.64 RON 25.51

44.33%

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

$462 RON 2,090

$423 RON 1,912

9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.5K

$6,962 RON 31.5K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 RON 285

$57.1 RON 258

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 RON 195

$38.03 RON 172

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 RON 384

$62.4 RON 282

35.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 402

$68.6 RON 310

29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 RON 2,170

$395 RON 1,788

21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 RON 1,639

$294 RON 1,329

23.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 RON 3,366

$598 RON 2,703

24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,486

$432 RON 1,956

27.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.4K

$1,961 RON 8,872

50.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 RON 9,071

$1,385 RON 6,265

44.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,340

$649 RON 2,936

81.91%

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 Zalau: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Iasi versus $395 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 82% 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 $34.00 in Zalau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $189 – 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: $1,123 in Iasi, $958 in Zalau – roughly 17% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Iasi and $1,437 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 44% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $423 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 $958, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $958 in Zalau 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 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.