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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $974 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,504 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,034 in Targu Mures.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 154% more expensive than in Targu Mures, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Targu Mures is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$8.71 RON 39.97

115.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$44.76 RON 205

55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$8.36 RON 38.35

64.71%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.37 RON 10.89

30.80%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$1.52 RON 7.00

86.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.29 RON 5.92

45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.95 RON 8.94

104.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$2.39 RON 10.95

89.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.47 RON 6.75

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.17 RON 5.36

84.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.48 RON 6.78

18.92%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.96 RON 13.58

73.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$8.55 RON 39.22

109.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$6.18 RON 28.37

56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$10.78 RON 49.48

86.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$1.03 RON 4.75

215.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.33 RON 6.09

67.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.45 RON 6.67

79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.89 RON 8.68

46.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.80 RON 3.68

176.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.54 RON 2.47

292.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.90 RON 4.15

72.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.79 RON 3.63

20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$6.27 RON 28.76

17.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$7.84 RON 35.98

2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.13 RON 5.17

36.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$1.69 RON 7.78

65.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.64 RON 2.94

385.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

$26.06 RON 120

-0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$0.85 RON 3.89

284.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.85 RON 3.90

74.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$7.71 RON 35.35

344.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.80 RON 8.24

-3.89%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$29.0K RON 133.1K

25.36%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

13.26%

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

$187 €163

$103 RON 474

81.07%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$9.62 RON 44.16

57.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$8.62 RON 39.53

337.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$43.97 RON 202

27.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

$18.89 RON 86.7

-9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$6.39 RON 29.33

78.56%

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

$997 €869

$1,391 RON 6,380

-28.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$53.9 RON 247

71.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$30.69 RON 141

34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$80.0 RON 367

39.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$82.4 RON 378

51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$431 RON 1,977

296.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$305 RON 1,399

321.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$669 RON 3,068

283.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$500 RON 2,295

288.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$2,340 RON 10.7K

226.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$1,515 RON 6,953

240.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$1,060 RON 4,862

121.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

7.47

-57.70%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $431 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 122% 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 $45.00 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $203 per month, with Targu Mures 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 Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Targu Mures differ by about 154% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $974 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 122% 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 $431 in Targu Mures. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,391 in Targu Mures. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $974 in Targu Mures versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.