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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Iasi vs $1,007 in Zărnești, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Iasi vs $1,518 in Zărnești, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in Iasi vs $2,030 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 16% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 RON 47.10

$8.80 RON 40.37

16.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 RON 234

$40.16 RON 184

27.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 RON 31.08

$9.05 RON 41.50

-25.08%

Cappuccino

$2.72 RON 12.49

$2.31 RON 10.58

17.75%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.32 RON 6.04

59.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.78

$1.15 RON 5.26

47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 RON 11.50

$2.21 RON 10.15

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.92

$2.84 RON 13.01

22.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.29

$1.35 RON 6.18

1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$1.17 RON 5.39

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.60

$1.63 RON 7.48

15.34%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.17

$2.93 RON 13.43

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 RON 37.48

$8.89 RON 40.75

-8.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.85

$5.15 RON 23.62

34.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 RON 49.56

$12.34 RON 56.6

-12.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.71

$1.03 RON 4.71

21.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.21

$1.35 RON 6.19

16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.41 RON 6.46

27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.63

$1.36 RON 6.23

38.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.89 RON 4.09

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.92 RON 4.22

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$0.73 RON 3.36

43.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.78 RON 3.59

6.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 RON 28.12

$5.65 RON 25.91

8.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 RON 29.73

$7.42 RON 34.03

-12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.97

$1.08 RON 4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.35 RON 6.21

42.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.66 RON 3.03

21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.59 RON 127

$19.98 RON 91.6

38.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$0.95 RON 4.34

-2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$0.82 RON 3.76

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 RON 36.60

$7.56 RON 34.68

5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.60 RON 7.36

5.62%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

0.47%

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

$27.9K RON 127.9K

$27.6K RON 126.4K

1.18%

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

$157 RON 718

$169 RON 773

-7.04%

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

$8.46 RON 38.79

$7.92 RON 36.33

6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 RON 46.72

$9.90 RON 45.39

2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 RON 217

$41.70 RON 191

13.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 RON 82.8

$19.16 RON 87.8

-5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 RON 36.55

$5.68 RON 26.04

40.32%

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

$475 RON 2,179

$422 RON 1,935

12.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,939 RON 31.8K

$6,960 RON 31.9K

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$48.29 RON 221

26.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 RON 200

$30.50 RON 140

42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 386

$73.1 RON 335

15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 407

$79.8 RON 366

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 RON 2,207

$386 RON 1,769

24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,607

$285 RON 1,308

22.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,328

$594 RON 2,723

22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 RON 2,475

$440 RON 2,017

22.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.6K

$1,728 RON 7,924

71.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 RON 8,877

$1,427 RON 6,543

35.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,143 RON 5,240

$525 RON 2,408

117.61%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Iasi versus $386 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 118% 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 $40.00 in Zărnești. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $198 – 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: $1,128 in Iasi, $1,007 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 $1,691 per month in Iasi and $1,511 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 38% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $475 per month in Iasi and $422 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 $1,007, than in Iasi at $1,128. 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 $1,007 in Zărnești to $1,128 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.