Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Targu Jiu Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Targu Jiu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Barcelona versus $1,013 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Barcelona versus $1,622 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,601 in Barcelona versus $2,231 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 129% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 73% above, Targu Jiu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €15.08

$13.84 RON 63.4

24.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €62.1

$67.8 RON 310

4.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.30

$8.12 RON 37.19

72.66%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.44

$3.32 RON 15.18

-16.27%

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

$2.78 €2.44

$1.13 RON 5.15

146.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.40 RON 11.00

-14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 €3.96

$3.35 RON 15.33

34.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.10

$3.96 RON 18.15

17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.77 RON 8.11

-27.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.42 RON 6.50

50.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 €1.70

$1.85 RON 8.48

4.32%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.06

$3.02 RON 13.83

15.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 €16.25

$7.97 RON 36.47

132.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.36

$3.16 RON 14.46

201.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.58

$7.69 RON 35.20

145.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.30

$1.02 RON 4.68

156.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

$1.57 RON 7.21

49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.83

$1.30 RON 5.97

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.50

$1.40 RON 6.42

103.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.90 RON 4.14

117.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.98 RON 4.48

88.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$0.66 RON 3.02

131.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$0.60 RON 2.74

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 €5.94

$5.66 RON 25.92

19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.83

$3.12 RON 14.30

149.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.96 RON 4.39

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.04

$1.17 RON 5.34

98.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 €2.63

$0.70 RON 3.21

328.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 €25.11

$19.96 RON 91.4

43.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.01

$0.67 RON 3.07

583.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.61 RON 2.77

249.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.93

$6.73 RON 30.83

339.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.58

$1.69 RON 7.73

6.51%

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

$38.5K €33.7K

$29.2K RON 133.6K

31.75%

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

$33.3K €29.2K

$30.7K RON 140.6K

8.34%

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

$185 €162

$178 RON 814

3.99%

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

$22.68 €19.90

$6.63 RON 30.35

242.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 €32.27

$10.21 RON 46.75

260.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 €50.7

$40.73 RON 187

41.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 €18.59

$19.42 RON 88.9

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 €9.50

$9.23 RON 42.25

17.33%

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

$727 €638

$657 RON 3,009

10.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.9K

$14.8K RON 67.6K

-0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €76.8

$54.2 RON 248

61.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 €32.78

$28.00 RON 128

33.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.6

$57.3 RON 262

80.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$93.9 RON 430

26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,369

$376 RON 1,721

315.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 €1,071

$255 RON 1,167

379.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 €2,406

$521 RON 2,385

426.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,747

$432 RON 1,980

360.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,489 €6,571

$2,646 RON 12.1K

183.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,207 €4,568

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,355 €2,066

$554 RON 2,535

325.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.1

-52.25%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,560 in Barcelona and $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 325% 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 $68.0 in Targu Jiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $169 per month, with Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Targu Jiu differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,013 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 325% 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 $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Barcelona versus $657 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $2,316 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.