Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Iasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Zalau: $871 a month against $1,263 in Iasi, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Zalau
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Zalau Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Iasi
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Iasi Living Index

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Zalau

🇷🇴 Romania

$871

/mo nomad

Iasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,263

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zalau and in Iasi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zalau and in Iasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $871 per month in Zalau vs $1,263 in Iasi, rent included.

Zalau $871
Iasi $1,263

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Zalau vs $1,842 in Iasi, rent included.

Zalau $1,330
Iasi $1,842

A family of three spends $1,789 per month in Zalau vs $2,420 in Iasi, rent included.

Zalau $1,789
Iasi $2,420

Zalau is about 31% cheaper than Iasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zalau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Zalau 36% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 RON 35.64

$10.47 RON 50.0

-28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.98 RON 162

$41.94 RON 200

-18.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 RON 25.45

$6.95 RON 33.20

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$2.12 RON 10.14

$2.85 RON 13.61

-25.61%

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

$1.52 RON 7.25

$2.15 RON 10.29

-29.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.85

$1.82 RON 8.70

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 RON 7.90

$3.20 RON 15.28

-48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 11.27

$3.69 RON 17.61

-36.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RON 6.36

$1.54 RON 7.35

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 RON 5.27

$1.37 RON 6.54

-19.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.86

$2.02 RON 9.67

-39.11%

Eggs

$1.97 RON 9.43

$3.32 RON 15.86

-40.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 RON 38.45

$8.45 RON 40.37

-4.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 RON 26.65

$6.65 RON 31.75

-16.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 RON 49.06

$9.72 RON 46.43

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 RON 4.15

$1.37 RON 6.56

-36.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 RON 6.04

$1.65 RON 7.90

-23.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.90

$1.61 RON 7.70

-10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.66

$2.12 RON 10.12

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RON 3.14

$0.79 RON 3.79

-16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 RON 2.60

$0.90 RON 4.29

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 RON 2.93

$1.10 RON 5.25

-44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.38

$0.96 RON 4.57

-26.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 RON 24.21

$6.24 RON 29.80

-18.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.27 RON 25.20

$6.93 RON 33.10

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.90

$1.31 RON 6.24

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.43

$2.04 RON 9.76

-44.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 RON 4.14

$0.80 RON 3.82

8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 RON 105

$27.14 RON 130

-18.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 RON 5.87

$0.81 RON 3.85

51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 RON 5.84

$0.81 RON 3.87

50.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 RON 59.3

$8.20 RON 39.19

51.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 7.28

$1.86 RON 8.91

-18.28%

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

$28.5K RON 136.1K

$28.2K RON 134.5K

1.17%

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

$25.4K RON 121.5K

$26.0K RON 124.4K

-2.32%

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

$102 RON 487

$181 RON 863

-43.52%

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

$4.14 RON 19.76

$7.23 RON 34.54

-42.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.31 RON 30.13

$8.61 RON 41.14

-26.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.74 RON 156

$43.50 RON 208

-24.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 RON 96.1

$16.04 RON 76.6

25.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.35 RON 25.55

$8.57 RON 40.96

-37.57%

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

$433 RON 2,067

$399 RON 1,908

8.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,275 RON 39.5K

$7,646 RON 36.5K

8.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 RON 246

$73.6 RON 352

-29.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 RON 143

$39.27 RON 188

-23.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 RON 275

$93.7 RON 448

-38.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 RON 302

$89.3 RON 427

-29.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 RON 1,818

$544 RON 2,597

-29.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,372

$444 RON 2,119

-35.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 RON 2,932

$815 RON 3,896

-24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 RON 2,184

$643 RON 3,074

-28.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 RON 9,125

$2,831 RON 13.5K

-32.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 RON 6,542

$1,851 RON 8,845

-26.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 RON 2,937

$1,142 RON 5,456

-46.17%

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 Zalau: November 3, 2026

Last update for Iasi: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Zalau

$287 33%

Iasi

$444 35.1% 54.5% $156

Groceries & Markets

Zalau

$179 20.5%

Iasi

$217 17.1% 21.2% $38

Eating Out

Zalau

$125 14.4%

Iasi

$178 14.1% 42.3% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zalau

$112 12.9%

Iasi

$196 15.6% 74.7% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Zalau

$91 10.5%

Iasi

$133 10.5% 46.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Zalau

$43 5%

Iasi

$61 4.8% 39.6% $17

Getting Around

Zalau

$33 3.8%

Iasi

$35 2.8% 7.2% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Zalau versus $544 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 86% higher in Iasi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Zalau versus $42 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $217 – making Zalau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Zalau

🇷🇴 Iasi

🕒 Local time

14:57 2:57 PM

Same time as Zalau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,202

290,422

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zalau Iasi 340 km

From you

Zalau
Iasi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $871 in Zalau, $1,263 in Iasi – Zalau comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,306 per month in Zalau and $1,895 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $381 there versus $544 in Iasi.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Zalau and $399 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zalau, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Iasi at $1,263. 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 $871 in Zalau to $1,263 in Iasi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Zalau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.