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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,120 per month in Medias vs $1,123 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,701 per month in Medias vs $1,706 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,283 per month in Medias vs $2,288 in Iasi, rent included.

Medias and Iasi have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medias and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Medias 17% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.17 RON 55.1

$10.49 RON 47.43

16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 RON 231

$50.4 RON 228

1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.50

$7.06 RON 31.91

11.19%

Cappuccino

$3.53 RON 15.99

$2.61 RON 11.79

35.25%

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

$1.91 RON 8.66

$2.09 RON 9.45

-8.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 9.13

$1.71 RON 7.75

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 RON 14.88

$2.56 RON 11.58

28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$3.36 RON 15.18

0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.38 RON 6.25

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.90

$1.21 RON 5.49

8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.08

$1.88 RON 8.52

-4.79%

Eggs

$3.29 RON 14.90

$3.26 RON 14.76

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 39.89

$7.95 RON 35.97

10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.49

$6.69 RON 30.28

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 RON 54.4

$10.95 RON 49.51

9.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$1.24 RON 5.62

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.55 RON 7.01

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.31

$1.80 RON 8.12

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.26

$1.97 RON 8.90

26.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$0.98 RON 4.45

5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.88

$1.05 RON 4.77

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$1.01 RON 4.56

-5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$0.80 RON 3.63

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 RON 25.85

$6.07 RON 27.45

-5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 RON 40.17

$6.70 RON 30.32

32.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.96

$1.14 RON 5.14

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.48

$1.97 RON 8.93

-16.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.79 RON 3.57

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.52 RON 88.3

$27.90 RON 126

-30.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.93 RON 4.21

-18.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 RON 3.48

$0.75 RON 3.41

2.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$8.26 RON 37.38

-15.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.73

$1.68 RON 7.58

-11.31%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$28.3K RON 128.2K

0.61%

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

$28.1K RON 126.9K

$27.6K RON 124.6K

1.85%

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

$167 RON 756

$158 RON 717

5.43%

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

$8.30 RON 37.54

$8.26 RON 37.35

0.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.39

$10.26 RON 46.40

-10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 RON 184

$46.57 RON 211

-12.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.12 RON 86.5

$18.66 RON 84.4

2.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 RON 30.89

$8.14 RON 36.80

-16.09%

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

$453 RON 2,051

$462 RON 2,090

-1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,526 RON 29.5K

$6,957 RON 31.5K

-6.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 RON 300

$63.1 RON 285

5.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 RON 192

$43.17 RON 195

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 RON 439

$84.9 RON 384

14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 449

$88.8 RON 402

11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,774

$480 RON 2,170

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 RON 1,338

$362 RON 1,639

-18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,687

$744 RON 3,366

-20.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 1,981

$550 RON 2,486

-20.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,729 RON 7,819

$2,956 RON 13.4K

-41.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,270 RON 5,744

$2,005 RON 9,071

-36.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,181 RON 5,340

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 7, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Medias versus $480 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 $50.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $211 – making Iasi 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

Medias vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,679 per month in Medias and $1,684 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Medias and $50.0 in Iasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Medias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medias, where all-in costs run around $1,120, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $1,120 in Medias 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 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.