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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,055 per month in Aachen vs $2,482 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,988 per month in Aachen vs $3,548 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,921 per month in Aachen vs $4,613 in Barcelona, rent included.

Aachen is about 17% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aachen and Barcelona sit above the global median – Aachen by 49%, Barcelona by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.99 €14.65

$18.42 €15.88

-7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 €54.3

$69.4 €59.8

-9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 €10.07

$14.05 €12.11

-16.80%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.39

$3.11 €2.68

26.37%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.96 €2.55

-5.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.71

$1.95 €1.69

61.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 €4.47

$3.99 €3.44

30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.86

$4.62 €3.98

22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.11 €1.82

-6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 €3.35

$1.83 €1.57

112.57%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$5.16 €4.45

-34.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.37 €13.25

$17.56 €15.14

-12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.19 €9.65

$9.50 €8.19

17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.37 €18.42

$19.93 €17.18

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.05

$3.17 €2.73

11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.21 €1.91

4.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.61 €2.25

-18.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 €3.11

$2.85 €2.46

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$2.17 €1.87

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 €1.36

$2.11 €1.81

-25.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.62 €1.39

-4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.88 €0.76

42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 €9.20

$7.17 €6.18

48.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 €6.15

$8.33 €7.18

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.50 €1.29

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.75 €2.37

-38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.05 €3.49

$3.14 €2.70

28.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 €63.2

$26.25 €22.63

179.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 €4.83

$3.22 €2.78

73.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 €2.32

$1.51 €1.30

78.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.35 €33.06

$35.26 €30.39

8.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.75 €1.51

26.86%

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

$33.7K €29.1K

$36.7K €31.6K

-7.99%

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

$39.5K €34.0K

$31.7K €27.3K

24.70%

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

$400 €345

$187 €161

113.94%

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

$17.87 €15.40

$15.10 €13.01

18.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €44.16

$37.60 €32.41

36.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.71 €34.23

$55.5 €47.83

-28.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.68 €25.58

$16.74 €14.43

77.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 €14.04

$11.71 €10.09

39.11%

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

$778 €671

$1,011 €871

-23.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$17.1K €14.7K

17.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €83.8

$91.4 €78.8

6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 €37.56

$41.00 €35.34

6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 €74.4

$111 €95.3

-21.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €121

$126 €109

11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 €744

$1,704 €1,469

-49.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 €524

$1,299 €1,120

-53.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 €1,340

$2,588 €2,231

-39.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 €940

$1,929 €1,663

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,698 €4,050

$7,732 €6,665

-39.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,697 €3,187

$5,384 €4,641

-31.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,693 €3,184

$2,374 €2,046

55.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.16

25.32%

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

Last update for Aachen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $863 in Aachen versus $1,704 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 56% 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 $63.0 in Aachen versus $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries tell a different story – $339 in Aachen vs $333 in Barcelona – so Barcelona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,055 in Aachen, $2,482 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 $3,082 per month in Aachen and $3,724 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 $63.0 in Aachen and $69.0 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 $2,055 in Aachen and $2,482 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 $2,055, than in Barcelona at $2,482. 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 $2,055 in Aachen to $2,482 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.