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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Iasi vs $1,006 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 $2,288 per month in Iasi vs $2,029 in Zărnești, rent included.

Iasi costs about 12% more than Zărnești, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Zărnești are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 16% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 RON 47.60

$8.44 RON 38.30

24.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 RON 229

$39.89 RON 181

26.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 RON 32.03

$8.79 RON 39.88

-19.68%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.84

$2.28 RON 10.36

14.47%

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

$2.09 RON 9.49

$1.26 RON 5.70

65.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.78

$1.12 RON 5.08

52.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 RON 11.63

$2.23 RON 10.12

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.23

$2.79 RON 12.65

20.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.27

$1.40 RON 6.36

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.51

$1.18 RON 5.36

2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.55

$1.58 RON 7.17

18.99%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.81

$3.07 RON 13.94

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 36.10

$8.74 RON 39.67

-9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.39

$4.98 RON 22.63

34.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 RON 49.69

$12.49 RON 56.7

-12.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.64

$0.99 RON 4.49

25.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.04

$1.37 RON 6.21

13.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.15

$1.39 RON 6.32

29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$1.40 RON 6.34

40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$0.96 RON 4.34

2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.78

$0.91 RON 4.14

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.57

$0.80 RON 3.65

26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.79 RON 3.58

1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 RON 27.55

$5.90 RON 26.79

2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.43

$7.84 RON 35.60

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.16

$1.03 RON 4.68

10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.96

$1.41 RON 6.39

39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.71 RON 3.21

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 RON 127

$20.13 RON 91.4

38.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$0.96 RON 4.34

-3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.43

$0.87 RON 3.96

-13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 RON 37.51

$7.20 RON 32.70

14.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$1.54 RON 7.01

9.09%

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

$28.3K RON 128.6K

$27.5K RON 124.7K

3.19%

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

$27.6K RON 125.1K

$28.3K RON 128.6K

-2.73%

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

$158 RON 719

$171 RON 778

-7.55%

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

$8.26 RON 37.48

$8.33 RON 37.83

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 46.56

$10.08 RON 45.77

1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.57 RON 211

$42.12 RON 191

10.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RON 84.7

$18.98 RON 86.2

-1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 RON 36.93

$5.59 RON 25.37

45.62%

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

$462 RON 2,098

$434 RON 1,970

6.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.6K

$6,944 RON 31.5K

0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 RON 286

$48.29 RON 219

30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 RON 196

$30.48 RON 138

41.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 RON 385

$75.1 RON 341

12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 403

$80.4 RON 365

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 RON 2,178

$382 RON 1,736

25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 RON 1,645

$295 RON 1,339

22.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 RON 3,378

$584 RON 2,653

27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,495

$438 RON 1,987

25.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,956 RON 13.4K

$2,063 RON 9,367

43.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 RON 9,103

$1,374 RON 6,238

45.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,359

$518 RON 2,353

127.80%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Iasi versus $382 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 128% 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 $40.00 in Zărnești. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 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: $1,123 in Iasi, $1,006 in Zărnești – roughly 12% 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 $1,509 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 39% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Iasi and $434 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 $1,006, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $1,006 in Zărnești 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 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.