Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Satu Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Satu Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $973 in Satu Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,472 in Satu Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,972 in Satu Mare.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 139% more expensive than in Satu Mare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Satu Mare is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$9.49 RON 43.54

86.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$46.08 RON 212

51.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$6.77 RON 31.06

109.16%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.42 RON 11.11

15.70%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.72 RON 7.89

63.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.40 RON 6.42

47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.13 RON 9.79

115.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.27 RON 10.40

106.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.48 RON 6.81

-16.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.13 RON 5.21

79.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.24 RON 5.70

59.68%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.21 RON 14.75

8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$7.91 RON 36.29

131.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$6.38 RON 29.28

54.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$11.47 RON 52.7

66.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.14 RON 5.24

139.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.43 RON 6.57

66.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.42 RON 6.50

46.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.80 RON 8.27

52.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.72 RON 3.31

172.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.01 RON 4.65

77.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.68 RON 3.11

117.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.78 RON 3.58

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$5.80 RON 26.62

22.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$6.55 RON 30.08

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.21 RON 5.56

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.72 RON 7.90

38.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.56 RON 2.55

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$25.62 RON 118

14.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.91 RON 4.18

379.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.81 RON 3.70

162.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$7.35 RON 33.74

302.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.60 RON 7.34

13.75%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$25.0K RON 114.7K

51.61%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$26.0K RON 119.3K

24.54%

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

$189 €166

$139 RON 636

36.42%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$8.08 RON 37.10

175.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$9.45 RON 43.38

293.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$47.91 RON 220

21.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$11.58 RON 53.2

78.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$6.87 RON 31.52

58.22%

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

$706 €618

$181 RON 832

289.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$10.2K RON 46.6K

46.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$65.4 RON 300

36.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$30.97 RON 142

18.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$83.7 RON 384

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$77.8 RON 357

53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$309 RON 1,417

411.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$241 RON 1,105

414.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$543 RON 2,491

399.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$343 RON 1,573

495.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,039 RON 4,771

624.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,078 RON 4,950

385.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$692 RON 3,174

241.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.66

-49.10%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $309 in Satu Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 242% 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 $46.00 in Satu Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $202 per month, with Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Satu Mare differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $973 including rent). Satu Mare is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 242% 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 $309 in Satu Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $181 in Satu Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $973 in Satu Mare versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.