Cost of Living Comparison Between Zărnești and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Zărnești and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Zărnești vs $1,145 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Zărnești vs $1,713 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Zărnești vs $2,282 in Iasi, rent included.

Zărnești is about 11% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zărnești and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Zărnești 24% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RON 37.95

$10.21 RON 44.30

-14.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.98 RON 174

$51.5 RON 223

-22.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 RON 39.23

$6.79 RON 29.47

33.14%

Cappuccino

$2.20 RON 9.56

$2.65 RON 11.48

-16.98%

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

$1.32 RON 5.73

$2.03 RON 8.80

-34.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 4.95

$1.70 RON 7.39

-32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 RON 9.65

$2.56 RON 11.13

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.91

$3.51 RON 15.24

-21.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.08

$1.43 RON 6.21

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 RON 4.84

$1.21 RON 5.25

-7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$1.87 RON 8.11

-11.76%

Eggs

$3.05 RON 13.25

$3.21 RON 13.93

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 RON 37.25

$7.94 RON 34.48

8.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 RON 22.61

$7.00 RON 30.40

-25.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 RON 55.0

$10.80 RON 46.89

17.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.46

$1.23 RON 5.34

-16.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.94

$1.64 RON 7.10

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 RON 5.86

$1.81 RON 7.86

-25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.14

$1.97 RON 8.57

-27.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.17

$0.92 RON 3.97

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 3.97

$1.04 RON 4.52

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.41

$1.01 RON 4.36

-22.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.23

$0.80 RON 3.46

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 24.57

$6.30 RON 27.34

-10.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 RON 34.18

$6.93 RON 30.09

13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.46

$1.10 RON 4.76

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 5.84

$1.91 RON 8.28

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.07

$0.78 RON 3.38

-8.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$28.04 RON 122

-29.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$0.94 RON 4.08

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 3.85

$0.74 RON 3.22

20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 RON 32.14

$8.19 RON 35.55

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.66

$1.62 RON 7.02

-5.56%

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

$28.3K RON 122.7K

$27.8K RON 120.7K

1.61%

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

$28.5K RON 123.7K

$27.8K RON 120.6K

2.61%

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

$173 RON 752

$157 RON 679

10.62%

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

$7.88 RON 34.20

$8.37 RON 36.32

-5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 RON 43.91

$9.87 RON 42.82

2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 RON 178

$46.63 RON 202

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 RON 84.4

$18.61 RON 80.8

4.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 RON 24.29

$7.84 RON 34.02

-28.57%

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

$424 RON 1,841

$476 RON 2,067

-10.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,918 RON 30.0K

$6,884 RON 29.9K

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.26 RON 214

$62.0 RON 269

-20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 RON 128

$43.85 RON 190

-32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 RON 317

$85.0 RON 369

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 RON 356

$88.6 RON 384

-7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,716

$466 RON 2,024

-15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,278

$351 RON 1,525

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 RON 2,554

$743 RON 3,225

-20.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,935

$546 RON 2,371

-18.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 RON 6,762

$2,903 RON 12.6K

-46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 RON 6,115

$1,783 RON 7,740

-20.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 RON 2,364

$1,163 RON 5,046

-53.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

7.37

10.85%

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

Last update for Zărnești: April 20, 2026

Last update for Iasi: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Zărnești versus $466 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 113% 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 $40 in Zărnești versus $51 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $213 – making Zărnești 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

Zărnești vs Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,021 in Zărnești, $1,145 in Iasi – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,532 per month in Zărnești and $1,717 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zărnești, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Zărnești and $476 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 Zărnești, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in Iasi at $1,145. In Zărnești 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 $1,021 in Zărnești to $1,145 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 Zărnești. 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.