Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Al-mawsil versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Al-mawsil versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Al-mawsil versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 69% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-mawsil is 45% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.50 IQD 9,825

$17.61 €15.08

-57.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$68.7 €58.8

-82.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 IQD 7,402

$13.75 €11.77

-58.91%

Cappuccino

$0.73 IQD 959

$2.76 €2.36

-73.55%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$2.78 €2.38

-87.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 235

$2.05 €1.75

-91.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 IQD 1,242

$4.61 €3.94

-79.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,986

$4.59 €3.93

-66.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,177

$1.28 €1.10

-29.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 989

$2.11 €1.81

-64.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$1.97 €1.69

-46.19%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,521

$3.44 €2.95

-44.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 IQD 9,583

$18.83 €16.12

-61.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,327

$9.45 €8.09

-65.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 IQD 9,122

$19.01 €16.27

-63.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,185

$2.72 €2.33

-66.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,173

$2.37 €2.03

-62.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,055

$2.08 €1.78

-61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 516

$2.76 €2.36

-85.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 501

$1.97 €1.69

-80.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 596

$1.79 €1.53

-74.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 625

$1.51 €1.29

-68.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.90 €0.77

-45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,583

$6.76 €5.79

-70.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

$7.55 €6.46

64.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,874

$1.44 €1.23

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$2.41 €2.06

-19.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$3.03 €2.59

-88.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$28.39 €24.30

10.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 IQD 2,759

$4.43 €3.79

-52.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$2.05 €1.76

0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 IQD 4,265

$29.33 €25.11

-88.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 429

$1.89 €1.62

-82.54%

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

$15.0K IQD 19.7M

$38.7K €33.2K

-61.20%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$32.4K €27.7K

-44.54%

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

$100 IQD 131.3K

$189 €161

-46.85%

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

$17.45 IQD 22.9K

$22.21 €19.01

-21.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

$36.82 €31.52

-27.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 IQD 30.8K

$58.0 €49.64

-59.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 IQD 24.4K

$20.99 €17.97

-11.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 IQD 14.6K

$11.05 €9.46

1.09%

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

$200 IQD 261.6K

$726 €622

-72.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$699 IQD 916.2K

$15.2K €13.0K

-95.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.26 IQD 18.7K

$88.3 €75.6

-83.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.36 IQD 22.7K

$36.98 €31.66

-53.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 IQD 109.6K

$103 €87.8

-18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.20 IQD 25.2K

$119 €102

-83.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.4K

$1,526 €1,307

-84.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.0K

$1,218 €1,043

-85.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.8K

$2,794 €2,392

-78.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.7K

$2,027 €1,735

-82.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,987 IQD 2.6M

$7,094 €6,073

-72.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,490 IQD 2.0M

$4,849 €4,151

-69.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 IQD 789.0K

$2,404 €2,058

-74.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

3.39

67.26%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Al-mawsil and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 299% 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: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $320 per month, with Al-mawsil 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

Al-mawsil vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 219% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Barcelona earns 299% 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: $242 in Al-mawsil versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Al-mawsil versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $735 in Al-mawsil versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al-mawsil 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 Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 219% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.