Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Zalau vs $1,141 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,441 per month in Zalau vs $1,746 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,924 per month in Zalau vs $2,351 in Iasi, rent included.

Zalau is about 16% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zalau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Zalau 28% lower, Iasi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 RON 36.50

$10.56 RON 47.99

-23.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.03 RON 159

$51.0 RON 232

-31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 RON 26.47

$6.75 RON 30.70

-13.78%

Cappuccino

$2.12 RON 9.62

$2.61 RON 11.86

-18.77%

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

$2.01 RON 9.13

$2.00 RON 9.09

0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.79

$1.68 RON 7.64

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 RON 12.17

$2.50 RON 11.35

7.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.64

$3.37 RON 15.34

-17.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.85

$1.39 RON 6.31

8.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.37

$1.82 RON 8.29

-23.08%

Eggs

$2.19 RON 9.94

$3.25 RON 14.77

-32.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.01 RON 36.41

$8.14 RON 37.02

-1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 RON 27.33

$6.85 RON 31.15

-12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 RON 40.91

$11.03 RON 50.1

-18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.24 RON 5.64

-29.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.87

$1.62 RON 7.36

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.37

$1.77 RON 8.07

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 RON 10.06

$1.91 RON 8.71

15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$0.95 RON 4.31

-25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$1.01 RON 4.61

-29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$1.03 RON 4.70

-31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.22

$0.86 RON 3.89

8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 RON 24.68

$6.18 RON 28.09

-12.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.54 RON 25.19

$6.58 RON 29.93

-15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.71

$1.14 RON 5.17

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.86

$1.90 RON 8.66

-32.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 RON 4.38

$0.79 RON 3.59

21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.10 RON 91.4

$27.68 RON 126

-27.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$0.88 RON 4.01

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$0.74 RON 3.37

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.30 RON 42.26

$8.29 RON 37.69

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.23

$1.66 RON 7.56

-4.22%

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

$28.2K RON 128.0K

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-1.13%

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

$26.8K RON 121.9K

$27.2K RON 123.9K

-1.60%

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

$142 RON 647

$157 RON 712

-9.03%

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

$4.51 RON 20.52

$8.32 RON 37.84

-45.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.74 RON 30.65

$9.70 RON 44.11

-30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 RON 165

$46.92 RON 213

-22.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.94 RON 86.1

$18.18 RON 82.7

4.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 RON 26.74

$8.16 RON 37.09

-27.94%

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

$432 RON 1,965

$469 RON 2,133

-7.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,001 RON 31.8K

$6,858 RON 31.2K

2.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 RON 259

$62.5 RON 284

-8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 RON 176

$43.78 RON 199

-11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 RON 291

$84.1 RON 382

-23.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 RON 319

$87.7 RON 399

-20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,783

$474 RON 2,157

-17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,337

$361 RON 1,640

-18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 RON 2,668

$730 RON 3,320

-19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,957

$535 RON 2,431

-19.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 RON 8,724

$2,958 RON 13.4K

-35.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 RON 6,311

$1,951 RON 8,869

-28.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 RON 2,876

$1,168 RON 5,310

-45.84%

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 Zalau: July 25, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Zalau 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.

Salaries run about 85% 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 $35.00 in Zalau versus $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $213 – making Zalau 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

Zalau vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $957 in Zalau, $1,141 in Iasi – roughly 19% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Zalau 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 Zalau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Zalau 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 Zalau, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Iasi at $1,141. In Zalau 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 $957 in Zalau 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 Zalau. 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.