Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,399 per month in Barcelona vs $897 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,496 per month in Barcelona vs $1,455 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,592 per month in Barcelona vs $2,013 in Bacau, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 168% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 80% above the global median, while Bacau is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$11.66 RON 52.5

51.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$45.21 RON 204

54.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$7.99 RON 36.01

70.96%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$2.19 RON 9.87

25.11%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.15 RON 9.67

29.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.83 RON 8.26

7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.33 RON 10.48

87.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$3.58 RON 16.12

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.34 RON 6.04

-3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.83 RON 3.75

146.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.74 RON 7.85

13.79%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$3.74 RON 16.84

-9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$8.68 RON 39.07

114.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$6.19 RON 27.87

54.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$9.18 RON 41.33

105.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.25 RON 5.62

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.66 RON 7.46

48.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.71 RON 7.70

22.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.83 RON 8.24

54.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.93 RON 4.20

117.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.84 RON 3.78

120.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.67 RON 3.02

125.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.79 RON 3.54

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$5.69 RON 25.64

24.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$6.85 RON 30.84

16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.87 RON 3.94

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.34 RON 6.02

70.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.59 RON 2.67

388.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$31.73 RON 143

-10.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$0.62 RON 2.80

606.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.64 RON 2.89

234.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$7.47 RON 33.64

290.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.59 RON 7.15

16.98%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.4K RON 128.0K

37.18%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$26.7K RON 120.3K

22.43%

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

$189 €163

$117 RON 528

61.17%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$8.47 RON 38.15

168.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$5.33 RON 24.00

584.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$25.18 RON 113

128.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$23.11 RON 104

-7.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$6.69 RON 30.14

61.58%

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

$726 €625

$647 RON 2,916

12.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$5,368 RON 24.2K

181.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$93.6 RON 422

-6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$35.72 RON 161

3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$63.9 RON 288

62.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$96.0 RON 432

21.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$327 RON 1,473

380.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$183 RON 825

565.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$515 RON 2,317

426.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$362 RON 1,632

442.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$1,912 RON 8,610

308.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$1,261 RON 5,681

317.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$1,007 RON 4,535

135.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.5

-47.85%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bacau: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Barcelona versus $327 in Bacau. 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 136% higher in Barcelona, 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $45.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $198 – making Bacau 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

Barcelona vs Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 168%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,599 per month in Barcelona and $1,345 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Barcelona and $45.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,399 in Barcelona and $897 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Barcelona at $2,399. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.