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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in Tulcea vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,669 per month in Tulcea vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,297 per month in Tulcea vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

Tulcea is about 19% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tulcea and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Tulcea 25% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 RON 55.9

$11.18 RON 50.5

10.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.71 RON 220

$44.31 RON 200

9.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 36.69

$7.84 RON 35.41

3.70%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.24

$2.97 RON 13.41

-23.57%

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

$2.19 RON 9.90

$2.21 RON 9.99

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.11

$1.91 RON 8.63

-40.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 10.26

$3.38 RON 15.26

-32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.17

$3.90 RON 17.60

-42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.71

$1.67 RON 7.52

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$1.38 RON 6.24

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$2.05 RON 9.26

-23.41%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.52 RON 15.89

-7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 RON 37.56

$8.36 RON 37.76

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.42

$6.64 RON 29.99

4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.89

$10.43 RON 47.07

-6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.14

$1.45 RON 6.56

-6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.94

$1.71 RON 7.70

2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.78

$1.78 RON 8.04

-15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$2.26 RON 10.22

-10.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$0.88 RON 3.99

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.42

$0.90 RON 4.06

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.21

$1.22 RON 5.49

-41.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$1.01 RON 4.56

-20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 RON 30.29

$6.82 RON 30.80

-1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 RON 30.59

$6.51 RON 29.37

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.70

$1.40 RON 6.31

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RON 6.90

$2.22 RON 10.02

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.13

$0.85 RON 3.82

34.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 RON 86.7

$28.56 RON 129

-32.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.87

$0.93 RON 4.18

-31.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.92 RON 4.13

-27.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 RON 29.12

$8.71 RON 39.32

-25.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.84 RON 8.32

-3.26%

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

$29.1K RON 131.3K

$30.0K RON 135.2K

-2.93%

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

$28.6K RON 129.2K

-8.67%

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

$139 RON 626

$191 RON 862

-27.39%

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

$8.66 RON 39.10

$7.82 RON 35.30

10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.86 RON 39.98

$9.07 RON 40.94

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 RON 147

$46.91 RON 212

-30.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 RON 78.8

$16.58 RON 74.8

5.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.84

$8.78 RON 39.65

0.57%

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

$329 RON 1,487

$414 RON 1,868

-20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,336 RON 15.1K

$7,254 RON 32.7K

-54.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 RON 248

$74.3 RON 336

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.70 RON 148

$40.27 RON 182

-18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 RON 443

$94.5 RON 427

3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 RON 451

$96.1 RON 434

4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 RON 1,672

$558 RON 2,517

-33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 RON 1,337

$448 RON 2,025

-33.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 RON 2,873

$932 RON 4,209

-31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 RON 2,409

$692 RON 3,125

-22.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 RON 4,753

$2,998 RON 13.5K

-64.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 RON 4,236

$1,996 RON 9,012

-53.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 RON 3,022

$1,203 RON 5,432

-44.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

7.18

-4.60%

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

Last update for Tulcea: September 6, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $370 in Tulcea versus $558 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 80% 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 $49.00 in Tulcea versus $44.00 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Tulcea vs $224 in Iasi – so Tulcea 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

Tulcea vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,040 in Tulcea, $1,287 in Iasi – roughly 24% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,561 per month in Tulcea and $1,931 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 49% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $329 per month in Tulcea and $414 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 $1,040, than in Iasi at $1,287. 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 $1,040 in Tulcea to $1,287 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.