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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Zalau vs $1,123 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,442 per month in Zalau vs $1,706 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,925 per month in Zalau vs $2,288 in Iasi, rent included.

Zalau is about 15% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zalau and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Zalau 29% lower, Iasi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 RON 36.74

$10.49 RON 47.43

-22.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 RON 154

$50.4 RON 228

-32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 RON 25.72

$7.06 RON 31.91

-19.41%

Cappuccino

$2.08 RON 9.41

$2.61 RON 11.79

-20.31%

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

$2.07 RON 9.37

$2.09 RON 9.45

-0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.85

$1.71 RON 7.75

1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 RON 12.60

$2.56 RON 11.58

8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 RON 12.64

$3.36 RON 15.18

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.38 RON 6.25

9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 RON 5.67

$1.21 RON 5.49

3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.13

$1.88 RON 8.52

-28.19%

Eggs

$2.23 RON 10.07

$3.26 RON 14.76

-31.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 RON 35.63

$7.95 RON 35.97

-0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 RON 27.97

$6.69 RON 30.28

-7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 RON 38.84

$10.95 RON 49.51

-21.55%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.24 RON 5.62

-22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.89

$1.55 RON 7.01

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.80 RON 8.12

-12.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 RON 9.67

$1.97 RON 8.90

8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.98 RON 4.45

-31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$1.05 RON 4.77

-32.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 2.99

$1.01 RON 4.56

-34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.80 RON 3.63

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 RON 24.95

$6.07 RON 27.45

-9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.35 RON 24.22

$6.70 RON 30.32

-20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$1.14 RON 5.14

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.88

$1.97 RON 8.93

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.79 RON 3.57

18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.41 RON 87.8

$27.90 RON 126

-30.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.37

$0.93 RON 4.21

4.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.75 RON 3.41

5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.26

$8.26 RON 37.38

10.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.22

$1.68 RON 7.58

-4.76%

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

$27.7K RON 125.1K

$28.3K RON 128.2K

-2.40%

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

$26.8K RON 121.4K

$27.6K RON 124.6K

-2.63%

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

$143 RON 645

$158 RON 717

-10.01%

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

$4.54 RON 20.53

$8.26 RON 37.35

-45.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.11 RON 32.16

$10.26 RON 46.40

-30.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.50 RON 161

$46.57 RON 211

-23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 RON 88.4

$18.66 RON 84.4

4.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 RON 25.51

$8.14 RON 36.80

-30.71%

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

$423 RON 1,912

$462 RON 2,090

-8.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,962 RON 31.5K

$6,957 RON 31.5K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 RON 258

$63.1 RON 285

-9.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 RON 172

$43.17 RON 195

-11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$84.9 RON 384

-26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 RON 310

$88.8 RON 402

-22.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,788

$480 RON 2,170

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,329

$362 RON 1,639

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 RON 2,703

$744 RON 3,366

-19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,956

$550 RON 2,486

-21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 RON 8,872

$2,956 RON 13.4K

-33.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,385 RON 6,265

$2,005 RON 9,071

-30.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 RON 2,936

$1,181 RON 5,340

-45.03%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Iasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Zalau 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 82% 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 $34.00 in Zalau versus $50.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $211 – 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: $958 in Zalau, $1,123 in Iasi – roughly 17% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Zalau 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 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 44% less in Zalau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $423 per month in Zalau and $462 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 $958, than in Iasi at $1,123. 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 $958 in Zalau 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 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.