Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighetu Marmatiei and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighetu Marmatiei and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,461 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Sighetu Marmatiei costs roughly 60% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sighetu Marmatiei is 27% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 RON 40.50

$18.39 €15.81

-51.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.63 RON 102

$69.2 €59.5

-67.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 RON 35.63

$14.13 €12.15

-44.16%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.24

$3.13 €2.69

-13.42%

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

$2.00 RON 9.04

$3.02 €2.59

-33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.27

$1.96 €1.69

-6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 RON 9.73

$4.00 €3.44

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 RON 14.97

$4.76 €4.09

-30.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.05

$1.25 €1.07

24.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 RON 4.83

$2.16 €1.86

-50.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.56

$1.69 €1.45

-27.22%

Eggs

$2.85 RON 12.85

$4.93 €4.24

-42.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.36

$17.88 €15.38

-51.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 RON 30.82

$9.61 €8.26

-28.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 RON 42.39

$19.34 €16.63

-51.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.13

$3.24 €2.78

-64.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.06

$2.18 €1.87

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$2.67 €2.30

-43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$2.77 €2.38

-46.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$2.21 €1.90

-60.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$2.19 €1.88

-58.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.52

$1.52 €1.31

-48.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.92 €0.79

-11.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 RON 25.97

$7.12 €6.12

-19.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 RON 27.54

$8.14 €6.99

-25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.91

$1.50 €1.29

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$2.78 €2.39

-31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RON 3.68

$3.15 €2.71

-73.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.42 RON 101

$26.99 €23.21

-16.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$3.25 €2.79

-74.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$1.50 €1.29

-50.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.41

$34.89 €30.00

-77.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.75 €1.50

-0.57%

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

$30.2K RON 136.2K

$36.7K €31.5K

-17.72%

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

$26.1K RON 117.7K

$30.9K €26.6K

-15.73%

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

$145 RON 654

$188 €161

-22.82%

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

$6.75 RON 30.48

$15.44 €13.28

-56.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.10 RON 36.55

$37.80 €32.50

-78.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 RON 182

$57.2 €49.17

-29.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 RON 97.0

$16.80 €14.44

27.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 RON 19.66

$11.58 €9.95

-62.44%

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

$412 RON 1,860

$1,003 €862

-58.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,371 RON 42.3K

$17.0K €14.6K

-44.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 RON 291

$89.2 €76.7

-27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.38 RON 178

$40.87 €35.14

-3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 RON 266

$110 €94.6

-46.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.5 RON 300

$123 €105

-45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 RON 1,819

$1,673 €1,439

-75.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 RON 1,343

$1,331 €1,145

-77.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 RON 2,853

$2,596 €2,232

-75.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 RON 2,089

$1,950 €1,677

-76.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 RON 8,937

$7,573 €6,511

-73.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 RON 6,287

$5,370 €4,617

-74.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 RON 2,505

$2,402 €2,065

-76.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.16

124.68%

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

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 333% 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: $23.00 in Sighetu Marmatiei vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $332 per month, with Sighetu Marmatiei 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

Sighetu Marmatiei vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sighetu Marmatiei and Barcelona differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($1,008 vs $2,495 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 333% 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: $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $412 in Sighetu Marmatiei 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 67% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighetu Marmatiei but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sighetu Marmatiei 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, Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.