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: $1,115 in Craiova versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 52% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 17% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$17.08 €14.72

-47.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$69.2 €59.7

-32.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$13.78 €11.87

-42.02%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$2.76 €2.37

-6.16%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.79 €2.40

-25.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.99 €1.72

-6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$4.36 €3.76

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$4.74 €4.09

-25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.29 €1.11

17.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$2.05 €1.77

-51.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.99 €1.71

-14.07%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.39 €2.92

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$18.81 €16.21

-58.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$9.36 €8.07

-30.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$19.12 €16.48

-50.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$2.70 €2.32

-52.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$2.34 €2.02

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$2.12 €1.83

-25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$2.85 €2.46

-34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$1.97 €1.70

-47.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.80 €1.55

-37.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$1.45 €1.25

-44.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.86 €0.74

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$6.78 €5.84

-11.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$7.90 €6.81

-24.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.39 €1.20

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$2.37 €2.04

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$2.92 €2.52

-77.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$28.69 €24.72

-18.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$4.46 €3.84

-87.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$2.05 €1.77

-59.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$29.55 €25.46

-75.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.82 €1.56

-11.54%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$38.8K €33.5K

-29.06%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$33.1K €28.5K

-15.90%

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

$212 RON 957

$189 €163

11.84%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$22.80 €19.65

-64.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$37.59 €32.39

-69.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$57.7 €49.75

-37.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$20.74 €17.87

-9.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$10.82 €9.33

-38.17%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$728 €628

-40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$14.8K €12.7K

-39.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$88.6 €76.4

-9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$36.85 €31.75

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$102 €87.9

-23.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$116 €100

-24.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$1,569 €1,352

-75.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$1,218 €1,050

-74.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$2,795 €2,409

-74.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$1,975 €1,702

-77.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$7,754 €6,680

-65.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$5,176 €4,460

-60.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$2,343 €2,019

-57.39%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 135% 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 $203 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 110% in total monthly costs ($1,115 vs $2,337 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 135% 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: $387 in Craiova versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Craiova versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $2,337 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 110% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.