Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Craiova versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Craiova versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Craiova versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 53% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 17% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.52

$17.61 €15.08

-48.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 RON 200

$68.7 €58.8

-33.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 36.06

$13.75 €11.77

-39.85%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 10.84

$2.76 €2.36

-9.78%

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

$2.19 RON 9.53

$2.78 €2.38

-21.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.56

$2.05 €1.75

-4.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.32

$4.61 €3.94

-48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 RON 14.98

$4.59 €3.93

-25.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.28 €1.10

22.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RON 4.31

$2.11 €1.81

-53.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.38

$1.97 €1.69

-14.21%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.60

$3.44 €2.95

-2.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 RON 33.59

$18.83 €16.12

-59.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 29.25

$9.45 €8.09

-28.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 RON 42.65

$19.01 €16.27

-48.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$2.72 €2.33

-53.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.25

$2.37 €2.03

-29.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.85

$2.08 €1.78

-24.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RON 7.94

$2.76 €2.36

-34.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.50

$1.97 €1.69

-47.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.78

$1.79 €1.53

-38.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$1.51 €1.29

-43.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.31

$0.90 €0.77

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 25.95

$6.76 €5.79

-11.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$7.55 €6.46

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.47

$1.44 €1.23

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.55

$2.41 €2.06

-9.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$3.03 €2.59

-76.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.01 RON 100

$28.39 €24.30

-18.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$4.43 €3.79

-86.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$2.05 €1.76

-60.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 RON 29.96

$29.33 €25.11

-76.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.89 €1.62

-16.93%

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

$27.9K RON 121.4K

$38.7K €33.2K

-28.10%

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

$27.4K RON 119.4K

$32.4K €27.7K

-15.40%

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

$207 RON 902

$189 €161

9.71%

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

$7.90 RON 34.45

$22.21 €19.01

-64.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 RON 51.2

$36.82 €31.52

-68.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 RON 159

$58.0 €49.64

-37.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 80.6

$20.99 €17.97

-11.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 RON 29.43

$11.05 €9.46

-38.91%

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

$445 RON 1,941

$726 €622

-38.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 RON 38.6K

$15.2K €13.0K

-41.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 RON 344

$88.3 €75.6

-10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 RON 165

$36.98 €31.66

2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 343

$103 €87.8

-23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 RON 373

$119 €102

-28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,668

$1,526 €1,307

-74.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,374

$1,218 €1,043

-74.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,141

$2,794 €2,392

-74.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,935

$2,027 €1,735

-78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 RON 11.9K

$7,094 €6,073

-61.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 RON 9,133

$4,849 €4,151

-56.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 RON 4,697

$2,404 €2,058

-55.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

3.39

85.25%

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

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Craiova and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 123% 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: $46.00 in Craiova vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $320 per month, with Craiova 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

Craiova vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova and Barcelona differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,106 vs $2,341 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 123% less. 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: $382 in Craiova versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $445 in Craiova versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova 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, Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.