Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Zărnești Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Zărnești

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $957 in Zărnești, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,480 in Zărnești, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $2,003 in Zărnești, rent included.

Iasi costs about 36% more than Zărnești, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Zărnești are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Zărnești 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.5

$9.10 RON 41.08

22.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 200

$44.58 RON 201

-0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.41

$8.83 RON 39.86

-11.21%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.41

$2.32 RON 10.50

28.02%

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

$2.21 RON 9.99

$1.54 RON 6.95

43.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$1.26 RON 5.68

51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.26

$2.00 RON 9.04

69.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.60

$2.45 RON 11.07

59.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.52

$1.30 RON 5.85

28.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.24

$1.12 RON 5.08

23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.26

$1.48 RON 6.69

38.51%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.89

$2.98 RON 13.43

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.76

$8.42 RON 38.02

-0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 29.99

$4.96 RON 22.41

33.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.07

$10.64 RON 48.04

-1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.56

$1.01 RON 4.55

43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.70

$1.33 RON 6.02

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.31 RON 5.89

35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.22

$1.32 RON 5.95

71.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.80 RON 3.61

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$0.53 RON 2.40

69.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.49

$0.90 RON 4.07

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.56

$0.74 RON 3.34

36.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.81

$5.59 RON 25.23

22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.38

$7.82 RON 35.32

-16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.31

$1.09 RON 4.94

28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.02

$1.36 RON 6.12

63.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.73 RON 3.30

16.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$22.44 RON 101

27.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.18

$0.93 RON 4.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.13

$0.85 RON 3.84

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.32

$7.76 RON 35.03

12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.32

$1.51 RON 6.80

21.85%

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

$30.0K RON 135.2K

$29.5K RON 133.0K

1.68%

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

$28.6K RON 129.2K

$27.2K RON 122.7K

5.31%

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

$191 RON 862

$106 RON 481

79.37%

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

$7.82 RON 35.30

$9.87 RON 44.57

-20.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 40.95

$8.57 RON 38.68

5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$39.96 RON 180

17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 74.9

$21.97 RON 99.2

-24.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.65

$6.72 RON 30.33

30.65%

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

$414 RON 1,868

$454 RON 2,051

-8.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.7K

$8,146 RON 36.8K

-10.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 336

$46.24 RON 209

60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$28.75 RON 130

40.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 427

$70.9 RON 320

33.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 434

$80.8 RON 365

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,517

$397 RON 1,792

40.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,025

$312 RON 1,410

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,209

$651 RON 2,939

43.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,125

$534 RON 2,411

29.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.5K

$1,993 RON 9,000

50.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,012

$1,386 RON 6,258

44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,433

$526 RON 2,375

128.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

7.47

-3.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $407 in Zărnești. 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 117% 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 $44.00 in Zărnești. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Iasi vs $191 in Zărnești – so Zărnești wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Iasi, $957 in Zărnești – roughly 36% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,435 in Zărnești. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 27% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Iasi and $441 in Zărnești. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zărnești, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Iasi at $1,305. In Zărnești 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 Zărnești to $1,305 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 Zărnești. 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.