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: $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $2,336 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,627 in Targu Jiu versus $3,475 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Targu Jiu versus $4,614 in Barcelona.

Living in Targu Jiu costs roughly 55% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Jiu is 22% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 RON 60.5

$17.45 €14.88

-20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 297

$69.8 €59.6

-1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 RON 35.10

$13.91 €11.86

-41.84%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 14.93

$2.74 €2.34

25.55%

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

$1.17 RON 5.07

$2.70 €2.30

-56.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 9.94

$2.03 €1.73

12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 RON 15.29

$4.51 €3.85

-21.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 RON 16.71

$4.61 €3.93

-16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 RON 7.58

$1.28 €1.09

36.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.20

$2.10 €1.79

-31.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.32

$1.99 €1.70

-3.52%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 13.38

$3.45 €2.95

-10.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 RON 34.59

$18.61 €15.87

-57.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 RON 14.31

$9.41 €8.03

-64.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 RON 34.95

$18.70 €15.95

-56.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.43

$2.61 €2.22

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$2.39 €2.04

-31.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.41

$2.19 €1.86

-42.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.93

$2.81 €2.40

-51.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$2.03 €1.73

-53.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.17

$1.87 €1.60

-48.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RON 3.06

$1.45 €1.24

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 RON 2.45

$0.92 €0.79

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 24.55

$6.82 €5.82

-17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.24 RON 14.06

$7.71 €6.58

-57.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.06

$1.38 €1.18

-31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 4.86

$2.33 €1.99

-51.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.11

$2.88 €2.46

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 RON 85.4

$29.04 €24.77

-32.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.05

$4.43 €3.78

-84.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.64

$2.14 €1.82

-71.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 RON 30.42

$28.96 €24.71

-75.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.25

$1.90 €1.62

-12.11%

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

$28.8K RON 125.2K

$37.9K €32.3K

-23.89%

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

$29.9K RON 129.8K

$33.3K €28.4K

-10.20%

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

$178 RON 771

$186 €158

-4.33%

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

$6.41 RON 27.82

$22.17 €18.91

-71.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.25 RON 44.49

$36.52 €31.15

-71.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.67 RON 181

$58.4 €49.81

-28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.38 RON 84.1

$20.75 €17.70

-6.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.38 RON 40.71

$11.10 €9.47

-15.50%

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

$670 RON 2,906

$705 €601

-4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 63.0K

$15.2K €13.0K

-4.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 RON 242

$86.4 €73.7

-35.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.14 RON 118

$36.88 €31.46

-26.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 RON 247

$104 €88.8

-45.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 RON 407

$115 €98.4

-18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 RON 1,627

$1,538 €1,312

-75.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 RON 1,084

$1,242 €1,060

-79.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 RON 2,287

$2,728 €2,327

-80.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,911

$2,011 €1,716

-78.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 RON 12.1K

$7,155 €6,104

-61.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$565 RON 2,454

$2,474 €2,111

-77.14%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $375 in Targu Jiu and $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 338% 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 in Targu Jiu vs $70 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $318 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 125% in total monthly costs ($1,039 vs $2,336 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 338% 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: $375 in Targu Jiu versus $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $670 in Targu Jiu versus $705 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $2,336 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 125% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.