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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Iasi vs $1,021 in Zărnești, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Iasi vs $1,533 in Zărnești, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,282 per month in Iasi vs $2,045 in Zărnești, rent included.

Iasi costs about 12% more than Zărnești, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Iasi and Zărnești are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Zărnești 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 RON 44.30

$8.74 RON 37.95

16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 RON 223

$39.98 RON 174

28.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 RON 29.47

$9.04 RON 39.23

-24.89%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RON 11.48

$2.20 RON 9.56

20.45%

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

$2.03 RON 8.80

$1.32 RON 5.73

53.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.39

$1.14 RON 4.95

49.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.13

$2.22 RON 9.65

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 15.24

$2.74 RON 11.91

28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.21

$1.40 RON 6.08

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$1.12 RON 4.84

8.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.11

$1.65 RON 7.14

13.33%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 13.93

$3.05 RON 13.25

5.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 RON 34.48

$8.58 RON 37.25

-7.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 RON 30.40

$5.21 RON 22.61

34.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 RON 46.89

$12.67 RON 55.0

-14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.34

$1.03 RON 4.46

19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.10

$1.37 RON 5.94

19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 7.86

$1.35 RON 5.86

34.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.57

$1.42 RON 6.14

38.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 3.97

$0.96 RON 4.17

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.91 RON 3.97

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.36

$0.78 RON 3.41

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.46

$0.74 RON 3.23

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 RON 27.34

$5.66 RON 24.57

11.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 RON 30.09

$7.87 RON 34.18

-11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.76

$1.03 RON 4.46

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.28

$1.35 RON 5.84

41.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.38

$0.71 RON 3.07

9.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.04 RON 122

$19.64 RON 85.2

42.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$0.96 RON 4.16

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.89 RON 3.85

-16.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 RON 35.55

$7.40 RON 32.14

10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.02

$1.53 RON 6.66

5.88%

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

$27.8K RON 120.7K

$28.3K RON 122.7K

-1.59%

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

$27.8K RON 120.6K

$28.5K RON 123.7K

-2.54%

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

$157 RON 679

$173 RON 752

-9.60%

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

$8.37 RON 36.32

$7.88 RON 34.20

6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 42.82

$10.12 RON 43.91

-2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.63 RON 202

$40.98 RON 178

13.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 80.8

$19.46 RON 84.4

-4.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 34.02

$5.60 RON 24.29

40.00%

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

$476 RON 2,067

$424 RON 1,841

12.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,884 RON 29.9K

$6,918 RON 30.0K

-0.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 RON 269

$49.26 RON 214

25.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.85 RON 190

$29.56 RON 128

48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 RON 369

$73.0 RON 317

16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 RON 384

$82.0 RON 356

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 RON 2,024

$395 RON 1,716

17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 RON 1,525

$295 RON 1,278

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 RON 3,225

$589 RON 2,554

26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RON 2,371

$446 RON 1,935

22.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 RON 12.6K

$1,558 RON 6,762

86.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,783 RON 7,740

$1,409 RON 6,115

26.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,163 RON 5,046

$545 RON 2,364

113.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

8.17

-9.79%

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

Last update for Iasi: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Iasi versus $395 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 113% 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 in Iasi versus $40 in Zărnești. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $200 – making Zărnești 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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,145 in Iasi, $1,021 in Zărnești – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,717 per month in Iasi and $1,532 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 43% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Iasi and $424 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 $1,021, than in Iasi at $1,145. 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 $1,021 in Zărnești to $1,145 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.