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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Iasi vs $957 in Zalau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Iasi vs $1,441 in Zalau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Iasi vs $1,924 in Zalau, rent included.

Iasi costs about 19% more than Zalau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Zalau are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 14% lower, Zalau 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 RON 47.99

$8.03 RON 36.50

31.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 RON 232

$35.03 RON 159

45.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 RON 30.70

$5.82 RON 26.47

15.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.86

$2.12 RON 9.62

23.11%

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

$2.00 RON 9.09

$2.01 RON 9.13

-0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.71 RON 7.79

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RON 11.35

$2.68 RON 12.17

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.34

$2.78 RON 12.64

21.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.31

$1.51 RON 6.85

-7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.29

$1.40 RON 6.37

30.00%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.77

$2.19 RON 9.94

48.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 RON 37.02

$8.01 RON 36.41

1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.15

$6.01 RON 27.33

13.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 RON 50.1

$9.00 RON 40.91

22.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$0.88 RON 4.00

40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.36

$1.51 RON 6.87

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.07

$1.62 RON 7.37

9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.71

$2.21 RON 10.06

-13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.71 RON 3.23

33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.61

$0.71 RON 3.23

42.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$0.71 RON 3.23

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.93 RON 4.22

-7.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 RON 28.09

$5.43 RON 24.68

13.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 29.93

$5.54 RON 25.19

18.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.04 RON 4.71

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.66

$1.29 RON 5.86

47.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.96 RON 4.38

-17.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 RON 126

$20.10 RON 91.4

37.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$0.90 RON 4.09

-2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.86 RON 3.90

-13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 RON 37.69

$9.30 RON 42.26

-10.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$1.59 RON 7.23

4.40%

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

$28.5K RON 129.4K

$28.2K RON 128.0K

1.14%

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

$27.2K RON 123.9K

$26.8K RON 121.9K

1.63%

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

$157 RON 712

$142 RON 647

9.92%

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

$8.32 RON 37.84

$4.51 RON 20.52

84.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.70 RON 44.11

$6.74 RON 30.65

43.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 RON 213

$36.23 RON 165

29.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 RON 82.7

$18.94 RON 86.1

-4.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 RON 37.09

$5.88 RON 26.74

38.78%

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

$469 RON 2,133

$432 RON 1,965

8.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.2K

$7,001 RON 31.8K

-2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RON 284

$57.0 RON 259

9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 RON 199

$38.70 RON 176

13.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 382

$64.1 RON 291

31.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 RON 399

$70.1 RON 319

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,157

$392 RON 1,783

20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,640

$294 RON 1,337

22.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,320

$587 RON 2,668

24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,431

$430 RON 1,957

24.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 RON 13.4K

$1,919 RON 8,724

54.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,951 RON 8,869

$1,388 RON 6,311

40.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

$633 RON 2,876

84.65%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Zalau: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $392 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 85% 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 $35.00 in Zalau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 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: $1,141 in Iasi, $957 in Zalau – roughly 19% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Iasi and $1,436 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 38% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Iasi and $432 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 $957, than in Iasi at $1,141. 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 $957 in Zalau to $1,141 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.