Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulcea and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulcea and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Tulcea vs $1,128 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,510 per month in Tulcea vs $1,706 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Tulcea vs $2,285 in Iasi, rent included.

Tulcea is about 12% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tulcea and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Tulcea 26% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 RON 45.04

$10.27 RON 47.10

-4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.08 RON 198

$51.1 RON 234

-15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 RON 35.14

$6.78 RON 31.08

12.98%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.41

$2.72 RON 12.49

-0.37%

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

$1.90 RON 8.73

$2.11 RON 9.67

-9.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.85

$1.70 RON 7.78

13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.36

$2.51 RON 11.50

-9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.24

$3.47 RON 15.92

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.20

$1.37 RON 6.29

-1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 RON 4.79

$1.26 RON 5.80

-17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 8.03

$1.88 RON 8.60

-6.91%

Eggs

$2.37 RON 10.87

$3.09 RON 14.17

-23.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 RON 39.03

$8.17 RON 37.48

4.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 RON 32.54

$6.95 RON 31.85

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 RON 40.91

$10.81 RON 49.56

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.53

$1.25 RON 5.71

-3.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$1.57 RON 7.21

-9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 RON 5.93

$1.80 RON 8.24

-28.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.88 RON 8.63

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$1.00 RON 4.59

-24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$1.04 RON 4.78

-10.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 RON 3.42

$1.05 RON 4.81

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.96

$0.83 RON 3.79

3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 RON 26.29

$6.13 RON 28.12

-6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 RON 31.66

$6.48 RON 29.73

6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.14

$1.08 RON 4.97

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.28

$1.92 RON 8.79

-28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$0.80 RON 3.65

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.46 RON 126

$27.59 RON 127

-0.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.32

$0.93 RON 4.27

-22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.79

$0.76 RON 3.47

-19.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 RON 25.88

$7.98 RON 36.60

-29.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.12

$1.69 RON 7.73

-8.28%

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

$25.4K RON 116.3K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-11.07%

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

$27.5K RON 126.1K

$27.9K RON 127.9K

-1.38%

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

$93.4 RON 428

$157 RON 718

-40.39%

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

$7.81 RON 35.80

$8.46 RON 38.79

-7.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 RON 46.63

$10.19 RON 46.72

-0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 RON 119

$47.39 RON 217

-45.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 RON 89.6

$18.07 RON 82.8

8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 RON 31.38

$7.97 RON 36.55

-14.18%

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

$434 RON 1,991

$475 RON 2,179

-8.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,793 RON 31.1K

$6,939 RON 31.8K

-2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 RON 382

$61.0 RON 280

36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.93 RON 197

$43.54 RON 200

-1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 RON 336

$84.2 RON 386

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 RON 450

$88.8 RON 407

10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 RON 1,762

$481 RON 2,207

-20.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,353

$350 RON 1,607

-15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,645

$726 RON 3,328

-20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,998

$540 RON 2,475

-19.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,299 RON 5,955

$2,956 RON 13.6K

-56.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,130 RON 5,180

$1,936 RON 8,877

-41.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$641 RON 2,937

$1,143 RON 5,240

-43.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.37

-11.80%

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

Last update for Tulcea: July 20, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Tulcea versus $481 in Iasi. 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 78% 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 $43.00 in Tulcea versus $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $212 – making Tulcea 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

Tulcea vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $989 in Tulcea, $1,128 in Iasi – roughly 14% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,483 per month in Tulcea and $1,691 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 0% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Tulcea and $475 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulcea, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Iasi at $1,128. In Tulcea 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 $989 in Tulcea to $1,128 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 Tulcea. 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.