Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Miercurea Ciuc Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Miercurea Ciuc

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $779 in Miercurea Ciuc.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,241 in Miercurea Ciuc.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,703 in Miercurea Ciuc.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 218% more expensive than in Miercurea Ciuc, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Miercurea Ciuc is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$6.74 RON 30.91

178.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$21.84 RON 100

218.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$6.60 RON 30.26

108.64%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.74 RON 7.96

78.16%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$1.70 RON 7.78

66.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.45 RON 6.65

29.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.11 RON 9.66

88.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$2.12 RON 9.72

113.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.51 RON 6.92

-15.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.15 RON 5.29

87.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.45 RON 6.66

21.38%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$3.68 RON 16.88

39.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$8.35 RON 38.28

114.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$5.06 RON 23.18

90.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$8.23 RON 37.75

144.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$0.79 RON 3.62

311.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.53 RON 7.00

45.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.50 RON 6.90

73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$2.74 RON 12.56

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.67 RON 3.09

229.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.63 RON 2.89

236.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.45 RON 2.08

244.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.68 RON 3.12

39.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$5.46 RON 25.03

34.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$5.62 RON 25.78

43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.91 RON 4.17

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$1.30 RON 5.94

114.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.90 RON 4.11

245.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$21.83 RON 100

18.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.02 RON 4.68

220.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.90 RON 4.14

64.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$8.67 RON 39.76

295.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.75 RON 8.02

-1.14%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$26.7K RON 122.2K

36.44%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$25.6K RON 117.2K

19.52%

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

$187 €163

$119 RON 544

57.58%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$5.54 RON 25.38

173.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$5.54 RON 25.41

580.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$33.09 RON 152

69.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$11.08 RON 50.8

54.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$4.91 RON 22.49

132.38%

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

$997 €868

$459 RON 2,104

117.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$7,065 RON 32.4K

133.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$43.33 RON 199

113.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$17.81 RON 81.7

131.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$71.5 RON 328

55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$88.6 RON 406

41.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$195 RON 896

773.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$167 RON 763

672.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$440 RON 2,016

483.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$395 RON 1,810

391.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

$1,546 RON 7,085

394.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

$1,408 RON 6,456

266.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$719 RON 3,295

226.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.85

-53.87%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Miercurea Ciuc: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $195 in Miercurea Ciuc. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 227% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $22.00 in Miercurea Ciuc for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $187 per month, with Miercurea Ciuc 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 Miercurea Ciuc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Miercurea Ciuc differ by about 218% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $779 including rent). Miercurea Ciuc is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 227% 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $195 in Miercurea Ciuc. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $459 in Miercurea Ciuc. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Miercurea Ciuc versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miercurea Ciuc but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Miercurea Ciuc 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 Miercurea Ciuc 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 Miercurea Ciuc gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.