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 $2,316 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Targu Mures versus $3,458 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Targu Mures versus $4,601 in Barcelona.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 54% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 21% below, Barcelona is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.46 RON 38.78

$17.19 €15.11

-50.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.85 RON 183

$70.7 €62.2

-43.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 RON 40.30

$14.02 €12.33

-37.30%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 10.05

$2.78 €2.45

-21.22%

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

$1.32 RON 6.03

$2.78 €2.44

-52.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.26

$2.05 €1.80

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$4.52 €3.97

-50.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.75

$4.67 €4.11

-40.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.29 €1.14

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$2.14 €1.88

-42.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.93 €1.70

-17.62%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.40

$3.49 €3.07

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 RON 39.78

$18.52 €16.28

-53.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.83

$9.53 €8.38

-27.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 RON 57.9

$18.90 €16.62

-33.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$2.62 €2.31

-61.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.04

$2.34 €2.06

-43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.97

$2.08 €1.83

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$2.85 €2.50

-30.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.96 €1.72

-53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.28

$1.85 €1.63

-49.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$1.53 €1.35

-49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.90 €0.79

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 RON 28.67

$6.77 €5.95

-7.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 RON 33.89

$7.79 €6.85

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$1.38 €1.21

-23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 RON 7.40

$2.32 €2.04

-30.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.58

$3.00 €2.63

-81.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.04 RON 68.9

$28.62 €25.16

-47.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$4.58 €4.02

-80.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$2.13 €1.87

-66.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 RON 34.47

$29.55 €25.98

-74.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.39

$1.80 €1.58

-10.56%

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

$27.8K RON 127.6K

$38.5K €33.8K

-27.62%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$33.3K €29.2K

-14.27%

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

$167 RON 765

$185 €163

-9.76%

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

$8.53 RON 39.09

$22.68 €19.94

-62.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 46.10

$36.78 €32.33

-72.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.19 RON 212

$57.8 €50.8

-20.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 84.8

$21.19 €18.63

-12.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 RON 26.73

$10.83 €9.52

-46.17%

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

$1,378 RON 6,320

$727 €639

89.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 32.2K

$14.7K €13.0K

-52.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 RON 334

$87.6 €77.0

-16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.90 RON 146

$37.37 €32.85

-14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 RON 339

$103 €90.8

-28.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 RON 368

$119 €104

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 2,019

$1,560 €1,372

-71.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,445

$1,221 €1,073

-74.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,563

$2,742 €2,411

-79.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,864

$1,992 €1,751

-79.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 RON 10.5K

$7,489 €6,584

-69.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 RON 6,898

$5,207 €4,578

-71.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 RON 4,869

$2,355 €2,070

-54.90%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Targu Mures and $1,560 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 122% 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: $40.00 in Targu Mures vs $71.0 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 118% in total monthly costs ($1,061 vs $2,316 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 122% 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: $440 in Targu Mures versus $1,560 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 $727 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 $2,316 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 118% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.