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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in Medias vs $1,157 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,699 per month in Medias vs $1,741 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Medias vs $2,326 in Iasi, rent included.

Medias is about 3% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medias and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Medias 16% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.44 RON 54.1

$10.20 RON 44.35

21.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 RON 221

$51.7 RON 225

-1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 34.63

$7.08 RON 30.80

12.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 RON 15.52

$2.59 RON 11.28

37.84%

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

$1.98 RON 8.60

$2.09 RON 9.08

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.09

$1.76 RON 7.66

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.86

$2.47 RON 10.74

29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.08

$3.50 RON 15.22

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 5.86

$1.38 RON 6.01

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.63

$1.26 RON 5.47

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.94

$1.79 RON 7.79

2.23%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.56

$3.11 RON 13.54

7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 RON 37.14

$8.11 RON 35.29

5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 RON 30.74

$6.78 RON 29.50

4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.89 RON 51.7

$11.07 RON 48.15

7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.19

$1.17 RON 5.11

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.20

$1.63 RON 7.10

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.76

$1.81 RON 7.87

-14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.40

$1.92 RON 8.33

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.34

$1.00 RON 4.37

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.51

$1.02 RON 4.44

1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RON 3.85

$1.00 RON 4.37

-11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.59

$0.88 RON 3.81

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.08

$6.30 RON 27.41

-8.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 RON 30.75

$6.92 RON 30.12

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 4.81

$1.10 RON 4.78

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.41

$1.93 RON 8.38

-11.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$0.77 RON 3.37

-12.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.4

$27.83 RON 121

-29.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.29

$0.90 RON 3.90

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.51

$0.74 RON 3.24

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 RON 30.67

$8.12 RON 35.31

-13.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.47

$1.67 RON 7.24

-10.78%

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

$28.5K RON 124.1K

$27.7K RON 120.6K

2.89%

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

$27.5K RON 119.6K

$27.6K RON 120.1K

-0.41%

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

$166 RON 724

$155 RON 675

7.30%

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

$7.98 RON 34.70

$8.32 RON 36.19

-4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.95 RON 38.94

$10.07 RON 43.82

-11.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 RON 182

$46.91 RON 204

-11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 RON 83.6

$18.61 RON 80.9

3.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 RON 30.62

$8.12 RON 35.31

-13.30%

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

$440 RON 1,916

$462 RON 2,012

-4.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,542 RON 28.5K

$6,992 RON 30.4K

-6.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 294

$62.7 RON 273

7.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.69 RON 186

$42.85 RON 186

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 RON 419

$83.6 RON 364

15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 RON 432

$89.0 RON 387

11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,666

$467 RON 2,031

-17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,272

$354 RON 1,541

-17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,544

$722 RON 3,142

-19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,938

$551 RON 2,398

-19.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,733 RON 7,536

$2,903 RON 12.6K

-40.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,318 RON 5,733

$1,842 RON 8,015

-28.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 RON 4,931

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Iasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Medias versus $467 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 $51.0 in Medias versus $52.0 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Medias vs $213 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: $1,119 in Medias, $1,157 in Iasi – roughly 3% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,678 per month in Medias and $1,735 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 42% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $440 per month in Medias and $462 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 $1,119, than in Iasi at $1,157. 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 $1,119 in Medias to $1,157 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.