Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,114 per month in Medias vs $1,125 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,702 per month in Medias vs $1,700 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Medias vs $2,276 in Iasi, rent included.

Medias is about 1% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.09 RON 54.5

$10.23 RON 46.06

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.92 RON 225

$49.83 RON 224

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 35.66

$7.04 RON 31.71

12.50%

Cappuccino

$3.48 RON 15.67

$2.71 RON 12.18

28.41%

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

$1.92 RON 8.66

$2.04 RON 9.17

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.43

$1.77 RON 7.96

18.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 14.85

$2.59 RON 11.67

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.86

$3.51 RON 15.79

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.06

$1.44 RON 6.48

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 5.99

$1.24 RON 5.59

7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.22

$1.82 RON 8.18

0.55%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.69

$3.25 RON 14.63

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 RON 39.64

$8.05 RON 36.26

9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 RON 32.32

$6.67 RON 30.02

7.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 RON 53.9

$10.87 RON 48.96

10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.10

$1.19 RON 5.34

-5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.56 RON 7.02

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.79 RON 8.05

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 RON 11.15

$1.91 RON 8.61

29.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.34

$0.97 RON 4.37

-1.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$1.05 RON 4.74

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.90

$1.00 RON 4.49

-13.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.82 RON 3.69

-4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 RON 26.61

$6.08 RON 27.37

-2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 RON 40.91

$6.58 RON 29.64

37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.90

$1.08 RON 4.87

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.67

$1.99 RON 8.94

-14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.84 RON 3.80

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.70 RON 88.7

$27.69 RON 125

-28.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$0.94 RON 4.21

-18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.71 RON 3.20

12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 31.91

$7.95 RON 35.80

-10.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.89

$1.69 RON 7.60

-9.47%

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

$28.1K RON 126.7K

$28.0K RON 125.9K

0.64%

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

$28.1K RON 126.7K

$27.6K RON 124.4K

1.89%

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

$165 RON 743

$158 RON 710

4.57%

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

$7.92 RON 35.67

$8.50 RON 38.29

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.23 RON 41.57

$10.15 RON 45.70

-9.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 RON 184

$47.14 RON 212

-13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 RON 86.5

$18.35 RON 82.7

4.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 RON 31.53

$8.04 RON 36.21

-12.94%

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

$441 RON 1,984

$476 RON 2,144

-7.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,446 RON 29.0K

$7,066 RON 31.8K

-8.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 RON 296

$61.0 RON 275

7.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RON 191

$43.58 RON 196

-2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 RON 438

$86.2 RON 388

12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 450

$89.0 RON 401

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 RON 1,728

$470 RON 2,115

-18.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,290

$350 RON 1,578

-18.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,615

$746 RON 3,361

-22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 RON 1,956

$535 RON 2,409

-18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 RON 8,244

$3,064 RON 13.8K

-40.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 RON 6,142

$1,997 RON 8,992

-31.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,158 RON 5,215

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.37

4.48%

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

Last update for Medias: June 14, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Medias versus $470 in Iasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Medias versus $50.0 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Medias vs $211 in Iasi – so Iasi 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

Medias vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,114 in Medias, $1,125 in Iasi – roughly 1% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,671 per month in Medias and $1,688 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Medias and $476 in Iasi. 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 Medias, where all-in costs run around $1,114, than in Iasi at $1,125. In Medias 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 $1,114 in Medias to $1,125 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 Medias. 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.