Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Constanta Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Constanta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Barcelona versus $1,314 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Barcelona versus $2,126 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,601 in Barcelona versus $2,939 in Constanta.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 76% more expensive than in Constanta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 73% above, Constanta is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €15.11

$13.83 RON 63.4

24.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €62.2

$68.9 RON 316

2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.33

$7.98 RON 36.59

75.69%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.45

$3.31 RON 15.19

-16.01%

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

$2.78 €2.44

$1.96 RON 8.98

41.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.80

$1.30 RON 5.95

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 €3.97

$2.35 RON 10.78

92.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.11

$3.24 RON 14.84

44.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.14

$1.70 RON 7.80

-24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.88

$1.30 RON 5.94

64.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 €1.70

$1.93 RON 8.84

Eggs

$3.49 €3.07

$3.16 RON 14.47

10.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 €16.28

$9.98 RON 45.74

85.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.38

$6.69 RON 30.65

42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.62

$11.69 RON 53.6

61.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.31

$1.46 RON 6.69

79.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.06

$1.71 RON 7.86

36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.83

$1.73 RON 7.94

20.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.50

$2.50 RON 11.46

14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.00 RON 4.58

96.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.63

$1.10 RON 5.06

68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.35

$1.02 RON 4.67

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$0.86 RON 3.94

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 €5.95

$6.43 RON 29.48

5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.85

$6.49 RON 29.76

20.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.13 RON 5.19

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.04

$1.78 RON 8.18

30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 €2.63

$0.67 RON 3.06

347.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 €25.16

$18.55 RON 85.1

54.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.02

$0.88 RON 4.02

420.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.87

$0.71 RON 3.25

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.98

$7.96 RON 36.48

271.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.58

$1.70 RON 7.80

5.88%

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

$38.5K €33.8K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

34.81%

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

$33.3K €29.2K

$27.9K RON 128.0K

19.14%

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

$185 €163

$189 RON 868

-2.38%

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

$22.68 €19.94

$8.03 RON 36.81

182.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 €32.33

$9.04 RON 41.43

306.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 €50.8

$59.7 RON 274

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 €18.63

$37.16 RON 170

-42.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 €9.52

$8.09 RON 37.08

33.87%

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

$727 €639

$552 RON 2,529

31.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €13.0K

$8,479 RON 38.9K

73.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €77.0

$70.0 RON 321

25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 €32.85

$66.5 RON 305

-43.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.8

$75.2 RON 345

37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$79.5 RON 365

49.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,372

$584 RON 2,678

167.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 €1,073

$456 RON 2,089

168.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 €2,411

$1,155 RON 5,298

137.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,751

$884 RON 4,051

125.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,489 €6,584

$2,592 RON 11.9K

188.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,207 €4,578

$2,026 RON 9,291

156.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,355 €2,070

$984 RON 4,512

139.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.78

-50.00%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026

Last update for Constanta: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,560 in Barcelona and $584 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Barcelona vs $69.0 in Constanta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $228 per month, with Constanta cheaper across the board.

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 Constanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Constanta differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,314 including rent). Constanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,560 in Barcelona versus $584 in Constanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Barcelona versus $552 in Constanta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,314 in Constanta versus $2,316 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Constanta but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Constanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Constanta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Constanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.