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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Tulcea vs $1,123 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Tulcea vs $1,706 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Tulcea vs $2,288 in Iasi, rent included.

Tulcea is about 14% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tulcea and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Tulcea 28% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.86 RON 44.76

$10.49 RON 47.60

-6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.30 RON 192

$50.4 RON 229

-16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 RON 35.83

$7.06 RON 32.03

11.76%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.26

$2.61 RON 11.84

3.45%

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

$1.94 RON 8.80

$2.09 RON 9.49

-7.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 RON 8.82

$1.71 RON 7.78

13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.34

$2.56 RON 11.63

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.06

$3.36 RON 15.23

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.38 RON 6.27

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 RON 4.93

$1.21 RON 5.51

-9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.65

$1.88 RON 8.55

-10.11%

Eggs

$2.39 RON 10.83

$3.26 RON 14.81

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 RON 40.25

$7.95 RON 36.10

11.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 RON 32.23

$6.69 RON 30.39

6.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 RON 40.55

$10.95 RON 49.69

-18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$1.24 RON 5.64

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.67

$1.55 RON 7.04

-5.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.80 RON 8.15

-28.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.88

$1.97 RON 8.93

-0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.98 RON 4.46

-24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$1.05 RON 4.78

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$1.01 RON 4.57

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.80 RON 3.64

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.68

$6.07 RON 27.55

-3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 RON 30.89

$6.70 RON 30.43

1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$1.14 RON 5.16

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 RON 6.40

$1.97 RON 8.96

-28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$0.79 RON 3.59

-10.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.64 RON 125

$27.90 RON 127

-0.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.93 RON 4.23

-26.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.95

$0.75 RON 3.43

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 RON 25.38

$8.26 RON 37.51

-32.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.68 RON 7.61

-4.76%

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

$25.2K RON 114.4K

$28.3K RON 128.6K

-11.07%

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

$26.9K RON 122.1K

$27.6K RON 125.1K

-2.40%

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

$92.2 RON 419

$158 RON 719

-41.79%

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

$8.10 RON 36.77

$8.26 RON 37.48

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.07

$10.26 RON 46.56

-5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 RON 121

$46.57 RON 211

-42.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.11 RON 86.8

$18.66 RON 84.7

2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 RON 30.46

$8.14 RON 36.93

-17.57%

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

$430 RON 1,952

$462 RON 2,098

-6.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,893 RON 31.3K

$6,957 RON 31.6K

-0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 RON 382

$63.1 RON 286

33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 RON 190

$43.17 RON 196

-2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 RON 339

$84.9 RON 385

-11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 RON 438

$88.8 RON 403

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,766

$480 RON 2,178

-18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 RON 1,314

$362 RON 1,645

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,621

$744 RON 3,378

-22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 RON 1,966

$550 RON 2,495

-21.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 RON 6,034

$2,956 RON 13.4K

-55.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 RON 5,287

$2,005 RON 9,103

-41.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$644 RON 2,921

$1,181 RON 5,359

-45.49%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Tulcea 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.

Salaries run about 83% 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 $42.00 in Tulcea versus $50.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $211 – 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: $969 in Tulcea, $1,123 in Iasi – roughly 16% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,454 per month in Tulcea 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 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 1% less in Tulcea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Tulcea and $462 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 $969, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $969 in Tulcea 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 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.