Currency

Romanian currency is called ‘lei’, with the subdivision called ‘ban’ (1 leu = 100 bani), and the coins in circulation are: 1 ban, 5 bani, 10 bani, 50 bani. In addition there are the following bills: 1 leu, 10 lei, 50 lei, 100 lei, 200 lei, 500 lei. The safest way to change money is in banks or exchange offices. Any other option (for example, exchanging money with unauthorised persons) is officially prohibited. Please consult www.bnr.ro for exchange rates.

Time Zone

Eastern European Time (UTC +2 hours).

Living costs

Living and studying in Iași obviously entails extra costs apart from tuition fee, but unlike other European cities the cost of living here is considerably lower, so you will be able to live comfortably without spending large amounts of money. We estimate a basic living cost of approx. 220 euros/month. In order to help you estimate the total amount needed to cover daily expenses, accommodation costs or local transportation, we are offering you some examples to use as general indication of the costs of living here.

Accommodation

Start your student life in the most youthful way – choose to live in one of the dorms on campus, the best way to quickly make new friends. For a place in ‘Tudor Vladimirescu’ Campus the price is almost 70 euros/bed, in a double room, per month.
Also, you can choose to rent an apartment and the price is somewhere between 200 – 450 euros for a one bedroom apartment, depending on the residential area and amenities (this price is usually not including utilities costs, which have to be paid separately).

Public transport and taxis

The local public transport company covers Iași metropolitan area with bus and tram services. Public transport is considerably cheap, at about 0.45 euros for a one-way ticket.
If you are in a hurry, you can get a cab for about 0.55 euros/km. All taxis are yellow and have meters and we recommend you to use only authorised companies’ taxis.

Shopping

The shops are usually open between 10.00 – 20.00 during the week, Saturday included. On Sundays most of the shops are open until noon. There are also supermarkets and malls with extended shopping hours and several non-stop shops. You can pay only in Romanian currency but most shops take credit cards, except farmers markets. If you enjoy a healthy way of life, we recommend you to visit these markets, where you’ll find bio products, where you can buy fresh meat, cheese or vegetables directly from producers.

Emergency/Medical

For emergencies (police, health or security) please call 112. In the University campus there is the Student Health Service (Policlinica Studenţească) which offers a full range of medical services to students.

Electricity

The standard voltage is 230 V. If you travel to Romania with a device that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz you’ll need a plug adaptor.

As information presented within this site are subject to change, please contact international@tuiasi.ro.