Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Brasov versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,956 in Brasov versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Brasov versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 46% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 6% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 RON 56.7

$17.66 €15.43

-29.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 232

$69.7 €60.9

-27.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 36.86

$14.16 €12.37

-43.01%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.33

$2.80 €2.45

27.86%

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

$1.90 RON 8.69

$2.81 €2.46

-32.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.20

$2.06 €1.80

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.84

$4.60 €4.02

-29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.60

$4.69 €4.10

-27.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.04

$1.23 €1.07

25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.89

$2.03 €1.78

-36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.28

$1.98 €1.73

-8.59%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.34

$3.49 €3.05

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 RON 40.28

$18.33 €16.01

-51.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 RON 32.09

$9.83 €8.59

-28.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RON 53.7

$19.13 €16.71

-38.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.23

$2.73 €2.38

-58.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.56

$2.38 €2.08

-30.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.08

$2.08 €1.82

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.35

$2.75 €2.41

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.96 €1.71

-52.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.86

$1.79 €1.57

-40.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.48 €1.29

-40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$0.91 €0.80

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.70

$7.13 €6.23

-17.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.78

$7.88 €6.88

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.06

$1.38 €1.20

-19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.82

$2.39 €2.09

-28.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.14

$3.01 €2.63

-69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 RON 85.3

$29.35 €25.65

-36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.51

$4.36 €3.81

-82.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.74

$2.13 €1.86

-71.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 30.96

$29.60 €25.86

-77.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.33

$1.82 €1.59

-11.54%

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

$28.1K RON 128.3K

$37.9K €33.1K

-25.83%

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

$27.5K RON 125.6K

$32.4K €28.3K

-15.01%

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

$165 RON 754

$189 €165

-12.63%

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

$8.19 RON 37.37

$22.29 €19.48

-63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.30

$37.16 €32.47

-76.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 RON 274

$58.0 €50.7

3.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 RON 72.2

$20.66 €18.05

-23.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 RON 49.26

$10.87 €9.50

-0.74%

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

$447 RON 2,041

$706 €617

-36.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,652 RON 30.4K

$14.9K €13.0K

-55.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 310

$89.4 €78.2

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 RON 195

$36.60 €31.98

16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RON 437

$104 €90.9

-8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 RON 449

$119 €104

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 RON 2,857

$1,579 €1,379

-60.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,953

$1,238 €1,082

-65.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 RON 4,699

$2,712 €2,370

-62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 RON 3,190

$2,039 €1,782

-65.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 RON 14.5K

$7,527 €6,576

-57.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 RON 11.0K

$5,239 €4,577

-54.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 RON 5,147

$2,364 €2,065

-52.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

3.39

127.14%

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

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Brasov and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 110% 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: $51.0 in Brasov vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $320 per month, with Brasov 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

Brasov vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasov and Barcelona differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $2,320 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Brasov versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $447 in Brasov versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,254 in Brasov versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov 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, Brasov and Barcelona 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 Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.