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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Targu Mures versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Targu Mures versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 55% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 21% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.79 RON 39.91

$17.08 €14.80

-48.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 RON 185

$69.2 €60.0

-41.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 RON 39.86

$13.78 €11.95

-36.28%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 10.35

$2.76 €2.39

-17.39%

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

$1.26 RON 5.72

$2.79 €2.42

-54.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.24

$1.99 €1.73

-42.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 RON 9.81

$4.36 €3.78

-50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.34

$4.74 €4.11

-42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.29 €1.12

24.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.51

$2.05 €1.78

-40.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.99 €1.72

-20.10%

Eggs

$2.98 RON 13.53

$3.39 €2.94

-12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 RON 40.26

$18.81 €16.31

-52.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 RON 31.36

$9.36 €8.12

-26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 RON 55.9

$19.12 €16.57

-35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$2.70 €2.34

-64.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.01

$2.34 €2.03

-43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$2.12 €1.84

-29.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.68

$2.85 €2.47

-32.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$1.97 €1.71

-55.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.02

$1.80 €1.56

-50.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$1.45 €1.26

-45.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.86 €0.74

-5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 27.52

$6.78 €5.87

-10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 RON 35.41

$7.90 €6.85

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.74

$1.39 €1.20

-25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.62

$2.37 €2.06

-29.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 RON 2.70

$2.92 €2.53

-79.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.77 RON 67.1

$28.69 €24.86

-48.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$4.46 €3.86

-80.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$2.05 €1.78

-65.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 RON 34.06

$29.55 €25.61

-74.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.91

$1.82 €1.57

-16.48%

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

$27.5K RON 124.8K

$38.8K €33.7K

-29.21%

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

$27.9K RON 126.8K

$33.1K €28.7K

-15.61%

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

$169 RON 766

$189 €164

-10.86%

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

$8.60 RON 39.05

$22.80 €19.76

-62.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 RON 44.96

$37.59 €32.58

-73.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 RON 213

$57.7 €50.1

-18.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 RON 82.7

$20.74 €17.98

-12.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.73

$10.82 €9.38

-47.60%

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

$1,378 RON 6,254

$728 €631

89.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,946 RON 31.5K

$14.8K €12.8K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 RON 328

$88.6 €76.8

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.87 RON 149

$36.85 €31.94

-10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 RON 328

$102 €88.4

-29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 RON 371

$116 €101

-29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,996

$1,569 €1,360

-71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,415

$1,218 €1,056

-74.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,576

$2,795 €2,423

-79.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 RON 1,810

$1,975 €1,712

-79.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 RON 10.7K

$7,754 €6,720

-69.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,505 RON 6,830

$5,176 €4,486

-70.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 RON 4,840

$2,343 €2,031

-54.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

3.39

141.00%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Targu Mures and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 120% 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: $41.00 in Targu Mures vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $319 per month, with Targu Mures 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 Mures vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures and Barcelona differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($1,061 vs $2,337 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 120% 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: $440 in Targu Mures versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,378 in Targu Mures versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.