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: $1,109 in Craiova versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Craiova versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Craiova versus $4,638 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 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 42.65

$17.15 €14.86

-45.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 RON 209

$68.1 €58.9

-32.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.18

$13.64 €11.82

-41.64%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 11.31

$2.78 €2.41

-10.43%

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

$2.10 RON 9.54

$2.82 €2.44

-25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.75

$1.96 €1.70

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.21

$4.43 €3.84

-49.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.23

$4.61 €3.99

-27.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.27 €1.10

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$2.13 €1.85

-53.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.77

$1.99 €1.72

-14.07%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.66

$3.37 €2.92

-4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 RON 35.11

$18.96 €16.42

-59.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.47

$9.53 €8.26

-32.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 RON 44.59

$18.73 €16.22

-47.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$2.65 €2.29

-53.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.73

$2.35 €2.04

-27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$2.09 €1.81

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.36

$2.73 €2.37

-32.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.88

$1.96 €1.70

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.81 €1.56

-37.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$1.51 €1.31

-47.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.89 €0.77

-10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.74

$6.78 €5.87

-13.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 RON 28.81

$7.92 €6.86

-19.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.37 €1.19

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.24

$2.40 €2.08

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$2.91 €2.52

-75.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 RON 105

$28.66 €24.82

-19.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$4.58 €3.96

-87.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$2.04 €1.77

-56.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 30.69

$28.72 €24.87

-76.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.82 €1.58

-12.09%

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

$27.5K RON 124.9K

$39.3K €34.0K

-30.12%

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

$27.6K RON 125.6K

$32.5K €28.1K

-14.96%

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

$212 RON 964

$187 €162

13.65%

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

$8.08 RON 36.73

$22.29 €19.30

-63.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 RON 52.6

$36.37 €31.50

-68.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 RON 168

$57.5 €49.82

-35.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 RON 86.2

$20.74 €17.96

-8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 RON 29.76

$10.77 €9.33

-39.28%

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

$434 RON 1,971

$725 €628

-40.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 RON 40.3K

$15.2K €13.1K

-41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

$87.9 €76.1

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.91 RON 172

$36.81 €31.88

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 RON 353

$103 €89.6

-24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 RON 394

$119 €103

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,756

$1,524 €1,319

-74.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,439

$1,227 €1,062

-74.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 RON 3,209

$2,727 €2,362

-74.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,980

$1,984 €1,718

-78.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 RON 12.4K

$7,469 €6,468

-63.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 RON 9,082

$5,243 €4,541

-61.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 RON 4,297

$2,393 €2,072

-60.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Craiova and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 153% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $319 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 113% in total monthly costs ($1,109 vs $2,359 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 153% 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: $386 in Craiova versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $434 in Craiova versus $725 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 $1,109 in Craiova versus $2,359 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 113% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.