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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Zărnești vs $1,305 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,480 per month in Zărnești vs $1,902 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,003 per month in Zărnești vs $2,499 in Iasi, rent included.

Zărnești is about 27% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zărnești and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Zărnești 30% lower, Iasi 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 RON 39.02

$11.00 RON 49.65

-21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 200

$43.93 RON 198

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 RON 40.24

$7.83 RON 35.36

13.79%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 10.30

$2.97 RON 13.42

-23.23%

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

$1.57 RON 7.10

$2.21 RON 9.98

-28.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.90

$1.90 RON 8.57

-31.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 RON 8.92

$3.27 RON 14.77

-39.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RON 11.23

$4.09 RON 18.49

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.67 RON 7.52

-19.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.43 RON 6.44

-23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.72

$2.15 RON 9.70

-30.70%

Eggs

$2.98 RON 13.48

$3.52 RON 15.89

-15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 RON 37.50

$8.72 RON 39.37

-4.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 RON 22.66

$6.48 RON 29.24

-22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 RON 49.23

$10.28 RON 46.42

6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$1.40 RON 6.33

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.25

$1.63 RON 7.38

-14.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 RON 5.95

$1.74 RON 7.84

-24.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.86

$2.26 RON 10.20

-42.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$0.92 RON 4.15

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.94 RON 4.26

-39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.19

$1.16 RON 5.22

-19.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.68

$1.01 RON 4.58

-19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 RON 25.22

$6.60 RON 29.80

-15.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 RON 35.55

$6.60 RON 29.79

19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.40 RON 6.34

-18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$2.21 RON 9.96

-38.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.59

$0.89 RON 4.04

-10.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.41 RON 101

$28.55 RON 129

-21.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$0.85 RON 3.82

8.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.16

$0.84 RON 3.79

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 RON 36.14

$8.92 RON 40.28

-10.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.05

$1.84 RON 8.29

-15.22%

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

$29.3K RON 132.5K

$30.1K RON 135.8K

-2.47%

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

$27.3K RON 123.4K

$29.1K RON 131.5K

-6.16%

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

$106 RON 478

$192 RON 867

-44.80%

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

$9.98 RON 45.05

$7.81 RON 35.26

27.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.86 RON 39.99

$8.94 RON 40.34

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.04 RON 185

$46.28 RON 209

-11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.13 RON 95.4

$16.61 RON 75.0

27.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 RON 30.12

$9.05 RON 40.86

-26.30%

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

$441 RON 1,989

$421 RON 1,902

4.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,220 RON 32.6K

$7,347 RON 33.2K

-1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 RON 208

$75.5 RON 341

-39.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 RON 133

$40.56 RON 183

-27.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 RON 330

$95.7 RON 432

-23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 RON 374

$95.8 RON 432

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,836

$556 RON 2,509

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 RON 1,357

$441 RON 1,989

-31.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 RON 2,878

$916 RON 4,134

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 RON 2,109

$698 RON 3,151

-33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 RON 8,930

$2,963 RON 13.4K

-33.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 RON 6,192

$1,991 RON 8,991

-31.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 RON 2,422

$1,164 RON 5,255

-53.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.47

7.18

4.04%

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

Last update for Zărnești: August 29, 2026

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Zărnești versus $556 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 117% 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 $44.00 in Zărnești versus $44.00 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $224 – 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: $957 in Zărnești, $1,305 in Iasi – roughly 36% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,435 per month in Zărnești and $1,958 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 27% less in Zărnești. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Zărnești and $421 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 $957, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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 $957 in Zărnești to $1,305 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.