Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Roman versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Roman versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,158 in Roman versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Roman costs roughly 62% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 31% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 RON 55.5

$18.74 €16.31

-35.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 RON 162

$69.5 €60.5

-48.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 RON 36.30

$13.77 €11.98

-42.41%

Cappuccino

$2.85 RON 13.05

$3.10 €2.70

-8.06%

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

$1.48 RON 6.78

$2.83 €2.47

-47.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.19

$1.88 €1.64

-39.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 15.10

$3.98 €3.47

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.92

$4.53 €3.94

-47.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.27 €1.11

25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$2.16 €1.88

-57.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.87

$1.76 €1.53

-14.77%

Eggs

$2.93 RON 13.42

$5.13 €4.46

-42.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 RON 42.44

$17.88 €15.56

-48.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 30.97

$9.65 €8.40

-29.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.71

$20.15 €17.54

-51.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 5.00

$3.25 €2.83

-66.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$2.23 €1.94

-28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.83

$2.60 €2.26

-42.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.34

$2.76 €2.40

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$2.21 €1.92

-64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$2.12 €1.84

-59.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.17

$1.55 €1.35

-41.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.95 €0.83

-11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.90

$7.34 €6.39

-23.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$8.05 €7.00

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.46

$1.54 €1.34

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$2.79 €2.43

-38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.69

$3.11 €2.70

-74.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 RON 106

$25.86 €22.51

-10.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$3.27 €2.85

-80.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$1.48 €1.29

-53.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.79

$34.27 €29.83

-79.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.45

$1.73 €1.50

6.94%

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

$30.2K RON 138.2K

$36.4K €31.7K

-17.02%

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

$27.5K RON 126.0K

$30.5K €26.6K

-9.93%

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

$186 RON 851

$187 €163

-0.74%

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

$7.27 RON 33.30

$15.14 €13.18

-51.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.44

$37.69 €32.80

-76.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.94 RON 183

$55.9 €48.69

-28.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 RON 98.4

$17.08 €14.87

25.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 RON 44.77

$11.41 €9.93

-14.37%

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

$309 RON 1,416

$997 €867

-68.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,275 RON 33.3K

$16.5K €14.4K

-55.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 RON 254

$92.6 €80.6

-40.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.21 RON 125

$41.22 €35.88

-33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 RON 364

$111 €96.8

-28.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 RON 281

$125 €109

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 RON 1,032

$1,707 €1,486

-86.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 RON 772

$1,286 €1,119

-86.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 RON 2,941

$2,565 €2,233

-74.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 RON 2,116

$1,942 €1,690

-76.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 RON 8,889

$7,647 €6,656

-74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 RON 6,327

$5,167 €4,497

-73.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$866 RON 3,967

$2,348 €2,044

-63.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

3.16

127.85%

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

Last update for Roman: September 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Roman and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 171% 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: $35.00 in Roman vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $336 per month, with Roman 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

Roman vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roman and Barcelona differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $2,476 including rent). Roman is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 171% 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: $225 in Roman versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Roman versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $947 in Roman versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Roman 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, Roman 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 Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.