Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Galati Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Galati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,103 in Galati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,715 in Galati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,327 in Galati.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 110% more expensive than in Galati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Galati is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$11.57 RON 53.1

52.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$46.52 RON 214

49.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$8.08 RON 37.10

75.25%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.73 RON 12.54

2.56%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.18 RON 10.01

28.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.92 RON 8.81

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.24 RON 10.30

105.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$3.36 RON 15.42

39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.34 RON 6.16

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.83 RON 3.82

144.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.85 RON 8.48

7.03%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.70 RON 16.99

-5.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$8.21 RON 37.67

123.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$6.14 RON 28.17

60.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$9.33 RON 42.83

105.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.24 RON 5.70

120.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.71 RON 7.86

39.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.67 RON 7.66

24.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.85 RON 8.50

48.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.03 RON 4.73

90.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.16 RON 5.33

54.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.94 RON 4.31

57.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.78 RON 3.60

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$5.79 RON 26.60

23.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$5.57 RON 25.55

41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.93 RON 4.29

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.30 RON 5.98

83.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.56 RON 2.58

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$26.24 RON 120

11.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.74 RON 3.39

489.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.65 RON 2.98

227.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$7.58 RON 34.81

290.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.59 RON 7.28

14.47%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

33.55%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$26.7K RON 122.5K

21.35%

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

$189 €166

$165 RON 756

14.85%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$8.58 RON 39.37

159.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$8.49 RON 38.96

337.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$34.19 RON 157

69.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$38.82 RON 178

-46.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$6.80 RON 31.22

59.85%

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

$706 €618

$664 RON 3,047

6.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$5,339 RON 24.5K

178.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$102 RON 469

-12.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$34.57 RON 159

5.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$62.7 RON 288

65.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$98.8 RON 454

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$429 RON 1,968

268.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$348 RON 1,597

255.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$641 RON 2,941

323.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$530 RON 2,432

284.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,634 RON 7,501

360.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,265 RON 5,807

314.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$1,003 RON 4,603

135.74%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Galati: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $429 in Galati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 136% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $47.00 in Galati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $197 per month, with Galati 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 Galati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Galati differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,103 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 136% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $429 in Galati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $664 in Galati. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,103 in Galati versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Galati but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Galati 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 Galati 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 Galati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.