Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibiu and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibiu and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Sibiu versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Sibiu versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in Sibiu versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibiu is 14% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RON 39.48

$18.39 €15.81

-52.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.54 RON 197

$69.2 €59.5

-37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 35.89

$14.13 €12.15

-43.74%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.75

$3.13 €2.69

4.47%

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

$2.16 RON 9.75

$3.02 €2.59

-28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RON 8.54

$1.96 €1.69

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.28

$4.00 €3.44

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 RON 17.94

$4.76 €4.09

-16.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 RON 6.56

$1.25 €1.07

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.38

$2.16 €1.86

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.55

$1.69 €1.45

-14.20%

Eggs

$3.68 RON 16.62

$4.93 €4.24

-25.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 RON 38.49

$17.88 €15.37

-52.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$9.61 €8.26

-33.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 RON 37.13

$19.34 €16.63

-57.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$3.24 €2.78

-62.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.06

$2.18 €1.87

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$2.67 €2.30

-43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 RON 12.33

$2.77 €2.38

-1.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$2.21 €1.90

-68.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.06

$2.19 €1.88

-68.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$1.52 €1.31

-31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$0.92 €0.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 RON 28.13

$7.12 €6.12

-12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 RON 35.47

$8.14 €6.99

-3.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.28

$1.50 €1.29

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 RON 6.64

$2.78 €2.39

-47.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$3.15 €2.71

-74.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 RON 81.6

$26.99 €23.21

-33.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$3.25 €2.79

-69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.50 €1.29

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 RON 39.01

$34.89 €30.00

-75.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.35

$1.75 €1.50

5.71%

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

$30.1K RON 135.9K

$36.7K €31.5K

-17.94%

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

$26.6K RON 120.0K

$30.9K €26.6K

-14.10%

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

$119 RON 540

$188 €161

-36.32%

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

$9.48 RON 42.80

$15.44 €13.27

-38.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.69 RON 57.3

$37.80 €32.49

-66.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 RON 165

$57.2 €49.16

-36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 RON 66.3

$16.80 €14.44

-12.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 RON 32.15

$11.58 €9.95

-38.51%

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

$455 RON 2,055

$1,003 €862

-54.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.4K

$17.0K €14.6K

-59.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$89.2 €76.7

-10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.09 RON 154

$40.87 €35.14

-16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 RON 417

$110 €94.5

-16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 RON 418

$123 €105

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 RON 2,071

$1,673 €1,438

-72.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,947

$1,331 €1,145

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 RON 3,880

$2,596 €2,232

-66.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 RON 2,848

$1,950 €1,676

-67.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,524 RON 11.4K

$7,573 €6,511

-66.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 RON 9,709

$5,370 €4,617

-59.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,161 RON 5,245

$2,402 €2,065

-51.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.02

3.16

122.15%

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

Last update for Sibiu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $458 in Sibiu and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 107% 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: $44.00 in Sibiu vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $332 per month, with Sibiu 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

Sibiu vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibiu and Barcelona differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $2,495 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 107% 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: $458 in Sibiu versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $455 in Sibiu versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,178 in Sibiu versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu 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, Sibiu 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 Sibiu 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.