Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Aachen vs $2,359 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,051 per month in Aachen vs $3,498 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,159 per month in Aachen vs $4,638 in Barcelona, rent included.

Aachen is about 18% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aachen and Barcelona sit above the global median – Aachen by 46%, Barcelona by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 €13.97

$17.15 €14.96

-6.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 €71.9

$68.1 €59.3

21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €10.04

$13.64 €11.89

-15.62%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.51

$2.78 €2.42

44.60%

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

$3.26 €2.85

$2.82 €2.46

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.61

$1.96 €1.71

52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 €4.43

$4.43 €3.86

14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.97

$4.61 €4.01

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.27 €1.11

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.13 €1.86

2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 €3.03

$1.99 €1.73

74.37%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.10

$3.37 €2.93

5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.61 €12.73

$18.96 €16.53

-22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 €12.14

$9.53 €8.31

46.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 €17.26

$18.73 €16.33

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.84

$2.65 €2.31

23.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.55

$2.35 €2.05

-24.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.09 €1.82

10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 €3.94

$2.73 €2.38

65.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.96 €1.71

-18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.81 €1.58

-1.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.51 €1.32

21.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.89 €0.78

4.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 €8.24

$6.78 €5.91

39.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 €5.88

$7.92 €6.90

-14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.92

$1.37 €1.19

-22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.40 €2.09

-31.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 €2.99

$2.91 €2.54

17.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €50.3

$28.66 €24.98

101.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 €4.85

$4.58 €3.99

21.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.04 €1.78

10.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.43 €15.19

$28.72 €25.03

-39.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.82

$1.82 €1.59

14.84%

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

$30.9K €27.0K

$39.3K €34.3K

-21.35%

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

$38.1K €33.2K

$32.5K €28.3K

17.25%

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

$367 €320

$187 €163

96.87%

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

$19.71 €17.19

$22.29 €19.43

-11.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 €45.21

$36.37 €31.71

42.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 €31.22

$57.5 €50.2

-37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 €18.88

$20.74 €18.08

4.44%

Cinema Ticket

$16.46 €14.35

$10.77 €9.39

52.83%

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

$399 €348

$725 €632

-44.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K €19.9K

$15.2K €13.2K

50.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €98.9

$87.9 €76.6

29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.58 €39.73

$36.81 €32.09

23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 €73.7

$103 €90.2

-18.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$119 €103

12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 €701

$1,524 €1,328

-47.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 €512

$1,227 €1,070

-52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 €1,257

$2,727 €2,378

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 €1,047

$1,984 €1,730

-39.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,536 €3,954

$7,469 €6,511

-39.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,547 €3,092

$5,243 €4,571

-32.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,503 €3,054

$2,393 €2,086

46.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

3.39

17.11%

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

Last update for Aachen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $804 in Aachen versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Aachen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Aachen versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $319 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aachen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,944 in Aachen, $2,359 in Barcelona – roughly 21% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,916 per month in Aachen and $3,539 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aachen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Aachen and $68.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,944 in Aachen and $2,359 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Aachen, where all-in costs run around $1,944, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Aachen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,944 in Aachen to $2,359 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aachen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.