Cost of Living in Iasi, Romania

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Iasi?

Iasi is the second most populous city in Romania, right after Bucharest.

It is an important city in terms of culture, history and academic life and the second largest university center in Romania.

Culturally, you have plenty to see and visit, since the history is beautiful and there’s always something new to find out about this old city.

It’s also far cheaper than most other major cities of Romania.

The city offers something for everyone – there are quiet places or more vibrant places, some traditional and some that more modern looking – but every part of the city is very affordable.

RESTAURANTS

As a general rule, food is tasty in Iasi and mostly worth the money in restaurants throughout Iasi. Hotel restaurants are above average quality, but then the pricing is, too. The best advice is to avoid mall food courts or diners in their vicinity as they can be expensive with low quality food. A decent, yet delicious meal at an inexpensive restaurant will cost you over 5$ in Iasi.

MARKETS

Check the traditional open markets, like Piaţa Nicolina, Piaţa Alexandru and Piaţa Păcurari for the best food. They are open daily all around the city, and here you’ll find fresh local products, healthier than the ones in supermarkets, and usually cheaper, too. The interesting thing is that some vendors and farmers from the neighboring Republic of Moldova often times bring their products here, too.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transportation is quite frequent in Iasi, but during weekends and public holidays their frequency decreases and they become somewhat unreliable. A one way ticket costs 0.50$, or you can buy a two-trip ticket for 0.96$ or daily passes – 1.90$. These can be bought from ticket offices in stops, but don’t forget that they usually close around 5-6 PM.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Average cost for all utilities (meaning sewerage, water, gas, building management, garbage, electricity, TV and internet) in an 85m2 apartment in Iasi would be at around 100$ per month in the summer months and 200$ per month in the winter months. Internet speed is lightning fast in Ias, like in the rest of Romania. You can get 1GB/s download speed for about 8$ every month.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Iasi isn’t far from the mountains so you can regularly go on weekend hikes, and there are many green areas where you can spend time just walking or jogging. However, if you’re more of an indoor person, you can become a member of a gym or fitness club for around 30$. There are also many cinemas in Iasi, and they cost around 5$ per ticket.

CLOTHING & SHOES

When the economic crisis hit Iasi, the number of second-hand clothing shops has sky-rocketed. In these shops, you’ll find really low prices for some hippy clothes, antiquities or sport equipment. Plenty of youngsters prefer them to shopping malls and most of these clothes actually come from western countries. However, if you’re not into these stores, the area near Piaţa Unirii is a general shopping area where you’ll find the usual clothing brands.

RENT PER MONTH

The tricky thing about Iasi is that it’s a big university center and because of this it’s a bit hard to find accommodation in places near the universities. But you can find gorgeous places a bit further, for around 200$. As a matter of fact, this state of affairs brought about a huge competitive real estate market so apartments started popping up really fast, so you’ll easily find a charming place somewhere near the center for around 300$.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Iasi

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Iasi?

It’s no surprise that people in Iasi spend most of their money on food and groceries – that’s the situation mostly anywhere in the world.

The interesting thing here is that many smaller cities in Romania have rent prices so low, that they’re monthly cost is very close to the monthly cost for transportation or restaurant expenses.

That’s the case with Iasi, too.

After restaurants, the next biggest expense for the people of Iasi is transportation – whether for public transport or just private car maintenance, this is another aspect of life that is necessary to be paid.

Apparel percentages are the lowest in Iasi, as in every other city in the world.

Average Costs Breakdown

Iasi: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

With low prices usually come the low wages and salaries, and this is the case in Iasi, too.

The good thing about Iasi, when it comes to wages and the job market, is that there are great job offerings in the IT department, with amazing perspective to evolve as a well-paid software developer.

Average monthly net salary per capita in Iasi is less than 600$, which is actually closer to a minimum wage in many other Romanian cities.

This is just enough to cover all basic expenses and not have to worry about tomorrow but it’s definitely not enough for a comfortable, quality life where you can actually save up for your future.

Minimum wage in Iasi is around 250$ – which is pretty low.

Iasi Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Iasi Safety Review

Safety Index:

73

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

Cost of Living by City in Iasi