Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mukalla and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $2,381 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Al Mukalla
🇾🇪 Yemen
$842
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Mukalla and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Mukalla and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Al Mukalla versus $2,399 in Barcelona.

  • Al Mukalla $846
  • Barcelona $2,399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,661 in Al Mukalla versus $3,410 in Barcelona.

  • Al Mukalla $1,661
  • Barcelona $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,476 in Al Mukalla versus $4,421 in Barcelona.

  • Al Mukalla $2,476
  • Barcelona $4,421

Living in Al Mukalla costs roughly 65% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Mukalla is 37% below, Barcelona is 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.88 YER 3,983
$17.89 €15.92
-5.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.8 YER 20.0K
$66.2 €58.9
28.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$13.69 €12.18
-
Cappuccino
$8.45 YER 1,992
$3.06 €2.72
176.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.07 €2.73
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 YER 210
$1.94 €1.73
-54.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.87 €3.44
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.61 €4.10
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.30 €1.16
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.10 €1.87
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.83 €1.62
-
Eggs
$10.58 YER 2,496
$4.62 €4.11
129.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.08 YER 3,557
$17.36 €15.44
-13.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$25.73 YER 6,070
$9.28 €8.25
177.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$58.5 YER 13.8K
$19.83 €17.64
195.01%
Apples (1kg)
$14.61 YER 3,446
$3.01 €2.68
385.38%
Banana (1kg)
$6.37 YER 1,503
$2.03 €1.81
213.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.94 YER 1,165
$2.65 €2.36
86.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.29 YER 776
$2.87 €2.55
14.63%
Potato (1kg)
$7.71 YER 1,818
$2.16 €1.92
256.94%
Onion (1kg)
$4.15 YER 978
$2.15 €1.91
93.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.47 €1.31
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 YER 609
$0.88 €0.79
193.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.93 €6.16
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.83 €6.96
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.39 €1.24
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.63 €2.34
-
🚌 Getting Around
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.91 €2.59
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.46 €22.64
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.00 €2.66
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.44 €1.28
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$33.20 €29.53
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.86 €1.65
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.3K €28.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$31.7K €28.2K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$183 €163
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.61 €12.11
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$32.93 €29.29
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$54.7 €48.65
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.52 €14.70
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.23 €9.99
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$954 €849
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.6K €14.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$86.0 €76.5
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.11 €34.78
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$104 €92.2
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$119 €106
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,695 €1,508
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,276 €1,135
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,576 €2,291
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,922 €1,710
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,281 €6,477
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,010 €4,456
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Mukalla
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,227 €1,981
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.28
-

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

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$325
Eating Out
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$270
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$229
Clothing & Footwear
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$156
Sport & Entertainment
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$77
Getting Around
Al Mukalla
–
Barcelona
$47

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Al Mukalla vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $604 vs $320 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇾🇪 Al Mukalla
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
13:01 1:01 PM
12:01 12:01 PM
1 h behind Al Mukalla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
176,942
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Al Mukalla Barcelona 5,400 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Al Mukalla
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mukalla vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barcelona cheaper than Al Mukalla?
Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and utilities. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,269 in Al Mukalla and $3,599 in Barcelona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Al Mukalla and in Barcelona?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 89% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Al Mukalla or in Barcelona?
Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Al Mukalla or in Barcelona?
At $846 in Al Mukalla versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Al Mukalla or Barcelona more family-friendly?
For families, Al Mukalla 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.
Which city is safer, Al Mukalla or Barcelona?
Safety-wise, Al Mukalla 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 184% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Al Mukalla vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?