Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Jiu and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $2,316 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Targu Jiu versus $3,458 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,231 in Targu Jiu versus $4,601 in Barcelona.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Jiu is 24% below, Barcelona is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.84 RON 63.4

$17.19 €15.08

-19.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 RON 310

$70.7 €62.1

-4.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 RON 37.19

$14.02 €12.30

-42.08%

Cappuccino

$3.32 RON 15.18

$2.78 €2.44

19.42%

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

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.78 €2.44

-59.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 RON 11.00

$2.05 €1.79

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 RON 15.33

$4.52 €3.96

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RON 18.15

$4.67 €4.10

-15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.11

$1.29 €1.13

37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$2.14 €1.87

-33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.48

$1.93 €1.70

-4.15%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.83

$3.49 €3.06

-13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 RON 36.47

$18.52 €16.25

-56.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 RON 14.46

$9.53 €8.36

-66.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 RON 35.20

$18.90 €16.58

-59.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$2.62 €2.30

-61.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.21

$2.34 €2.05

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.97

$2.08 €1.83

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.42

$2.85 €2.50

-50.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.14

$1.96 €1.72

-54.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.48

$1.85 €1.62

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 3.02

$1.53 €1.34

-56.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 RON 2.74

$0.90 €0.79

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 25.92

$6.77 €5.94

-16.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.12 RON 14.30

$7.79 €6.83

-59.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.38 €1.21

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.34

$2.32 €2.04

-49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.21

$3.00 €2.63

-76.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 RON 91.4

$28.62 €25.11

-30.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.07

$4.58 €4.01

-85.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$2.13 €1.86

-71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 RON 30.83

$29.55 €25.93

-77.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.73

$1.80 €1.58

-6.11%

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

$29.2K RON 133.6K

$38.5K €33.7K

-24.10%

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

$30.7K RON 140.6K

$33.3K €29.2K

-7.69%

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

$178 RON 814

$185 €162

-3.84%

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

$6.63 RON 30.35

$22.68 €19.90

-70.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.75

$36.78 €32.27

-72.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 RON 187

$57.8 €50.7

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.42 RON 88.9

$21.19 €18.59

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 RON 42.25

$10.83 €9.50

-14.77%

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

$657 RON 3,009

$727 €638

-9.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K RON 67.6K

$14.7K €12.9K

0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 RON 248

$87.6 €76.8

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.00 RON 128

$37.37 €32.78

-25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.3 RON 262

$103 €90.6

-44.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 RON 430

$119 €104

-20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,721

$1,560 €1,369

-75.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 RON 1,167

$1,221 €1,071

-79.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 RON 2,385

$2,742 €2,406

-81.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,980

$1,992 €1,747

-78.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,646 RON 12.1K

$7,489 €6,571

-64.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,207 €4,568

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 RON 2,535

$2,355 €2,066

-76.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.39

109.44%

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

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Targu Jiu and $1,560 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 325% 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: $68.0 in Targu Jiu vs $71.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $319 per month, with Targu Jiu 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

Targu Jiu vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Jiu and Barcelona differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $2,316 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 325% 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: $376 in Targu Jiu versus $1,560 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $657 in Targu Jiu versus $727 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $2,316 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu 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, Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.