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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Medias vs $1,141 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,718 per month in Medias vs $1,746 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,307 per month in Medias vs $2,351 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 15% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 RON 56.3

$10.56 RON 47.99

17.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 RON 228

$51.0 RON 232

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 36.97

$6.75 RON 30.70

20.44%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.46

$2.61 RON 11.86

30.27%

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

$1.90 RON 8.66

$2.00 RON 9.09

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RON 9.40

$1.68 RON 7.64

23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 14.54

$2.50 RON 11.35

28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.27

$3.37 RON 15.34

-0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.13

$1.39 RON 6.31

-2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 RON 6.10

$1.26 RON 5.72

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.11

$1.82 RON 8.29

-2.20%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.25

$3.25 RON 14.77

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 RON 38.31

$8.14 RON 37.02

3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.99

$6.85 RON 31.15

-0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 RON 54.5

$11.03 RON 50.1

8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.39

$1.24 RON 5.64

-4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.51

$1.62 RON 7.36

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.77 RON 8.07

-9.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 RON 11.06

$1.91 RON 8.71

27.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.95 RON 4.31

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.01 RON 4.61

1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.94

$1.03 RON 4.70

-15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.86 RON 3.89

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 RON 27.13

$6.18 RON 28.09

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.29

$6.58 RON 29.93

17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.14 RON 5.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.50

$1.90 RON 8.66

-13.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.79 RON 3.59

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.59 RON 89.1

$27.68 RON 126

-29.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.88 RON 4.01

-19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.68

$0.74 RON 3.37

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 RON 31.97

$8.29 RON 37.69

-15.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.90

$1.66 RON 7.56

-8.43%

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

$28.2K RON 128.1K

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-1.07%

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

$27.5K RON 125.0K

$27.2K RON 123.9K

0.93%

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

$162 RON 734

$157 RON 712

3.18%

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

$8.03 RON 36.49

$8.32 RON 37.84

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.63

$9.70 RON 44.11

-7.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 RON 188

$46.92 RON 213

-11.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 RON 87.0

$18.18 RON 82.7

5.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 RON 31.88

$8.16 RON 37.09

-14.09%

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

$452 RON 2,055

$469 RON 2,133

-3.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,675 RON 30.3K

$6,858 RON 31.2K

-2.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$62.5 RON 284

8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 RON 199

$43.78 RON 199

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 RON 434

$84.1 RON 382

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 456

$87.7 RON 399

14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,771

$474 RON 2,157

-17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,302

$361 RON 1,640

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 RON 2,654

$730 RON 3,320

-20.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,017

$535 RON 2,431

-17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,806 RON 8,210

$2,958 RON 13.4K

-38.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,280 RON 5,821

$1,951 RON 8,869

-34.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 RON 5,310

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Medias versus $474 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 $51.0 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $220 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: $1,128 in Medias, $1,141 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 $1,692 per month in Medias and $1,712 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 $452 per month in Medias and $469 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 $1,128, than in Iasi at $1,141. 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 $1,128 in Medias to $1,141 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.