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: $974 in Targu Mures versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,504 in Targu Mures versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,034 in Targu Mures versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 61% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 29% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 RON 39.97

$18.74 €16.33

-53.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.76 RON 205

$69.5 €60.6

-35.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 RON 38.35

$13.77 €12.00

-39.29%

Cappuccino

$2.37 RON 10.89

$3.10 €2.70

-23.55%

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

$1.52 RON 7.00

$2.83 €2.47

-46.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.92

$1.88 €1.64

-31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 RON 8.94

$3.98 €3.47

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.95

$4.53 €3.95

-47.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.75

$1.27 €1.11

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 RON 5.36

$2.16 €1.88

-45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.78

$1.76 €1.53

-15.91%

Eggs

$2.96 RON 13.58

$5.13 €4.47

-42.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 RON 39.22

$17.88 €15.59

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 RON 28.37

$9.65 €8.41

-35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 RON 49.48

$20.15 €17.56

-46.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.75

$3.25 €2.84

-68.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.09

$2.23 €1.94

-40.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.67

$2.60 €2.27

-44.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.68

$2.76 €2.40

-31.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.68

$2.21 €1.93

-63.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 RON 2.47

$2.12 €1.85

-74.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.15

$1.55 €1.35

-41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.63

$0.95 €0.83

-16.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.27 RON 28.76

$7.34 €6.40

-14.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.98

$8.05 €7.01

-2.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.17

$1.54 €1.35

-26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.78

$2.79 €2.43

-39.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 RON 2.94

$3.11 €2.71

-79.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.06 RON 120

$25.86 €22.54

0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.89

$3.27 €2.85

-74.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.90

$1.48 €1.29

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 RON 35.35

$34.27 €29.88

-77.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.73 €1.51

4.05%

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

$29.0K RON 133.1K

$36.4K €31.7K

-20.23%

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

$27.0K RON 123.7K

$30.5K €26.6K

-11.71%

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

$103 RON 474

$187 €163

-44.77%

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

$9.62 RON 44.16

$15.14 €13.20

-36.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 RON 39.53

$37.69 €32.85

-77.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.97 RON 202

$55.9 €48.76

-21.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 RON 86.7

$17.08 €14.89

10.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 RON 29.33

$11.41 €9.95

-44.00%

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

$1,391 RON 6,380

$997 €869

39.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 RON 247

$92.6 €80.8

-41.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.69 RON 141

$41.22 €35.93

-25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 RON 367

$111 €96.9

-28.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 RON 378

$125 €109

-34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,977

$1,707 €1,488

-74.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 RON 1,399

$1,286 €1,121

-76.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 RON 3,068

$2,565 €2,236

-73.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 RON 2,295

$1,942 €1,693

-74.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 RON 10.7K

$7,647 €6,666

-69.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 RON 6,953

$5,167 €4,504

-70.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 RON 4,862

$2,348 €2,047

-54.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.47

3.16

136.39%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Targu Mures and $1,707 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: $45.00 in Targu Mures vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $336 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 154% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $2,476 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: $431 in Targu Mures versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,391 in Targu Mures versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $974 in Targu Mures versus $2,476 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 154% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.