Cost of Living Comparison Between Albacete and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Albacete and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,590 in Albacete versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,288 in Albacete versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,985 in Albacete versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Albacete costs roughly 32% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albacete 18% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.00 €12.06

$17.08 €14.72

-18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.10 €36.27

$69.2 €59.7

-39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 €10.41

$13.78 €11.87

-12.34%

Cappuccino

$1.86 €1.60

$2.76 €2.37

-32.61%

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

$2.10 €1.81

$2.79 €2.40

-24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.99 €1.72

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 €2.52

$4.36 €3.76

-33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.90

$4.74 €4.09

-4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.29 €1.11

-31.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 €0.67

$2.05 €1.77

-61.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.99 €1.71

-26.63%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.56

$3.39 €2.92

-12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 €12.63

$18.81 €16.21

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 €5.60

$9.36 €8.07

-30.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 €14.64

$19.12 €16.48

-11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.70 €2.32

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.34 €2.02

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.15

$2.12 €1.83

17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.33

$2.85 €2.46

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.97 €1.70

3.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.80 €1.55

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.45 €1.25

-2.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.86 €0.74

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.91

$6.78 €5.84

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.36 €4.62

$7.90 €6.81

-32.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.37 €2.04

-5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.23

$2.92 €2.52

-51.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 €15.19

$28.69 €24.72

-38.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 €3.46

$4.46 €3.84

-9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.05 €1.77

-35.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.59 €24.63

$29.55 €25.46

-3.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.82 €1.56

5.49%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$38.8K €33.5K

-4.62%

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

$32.4K €27.9K

$33.1K €28.5K

-2.05%

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

$190 €164

$189 €163

0.43%

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

$21.76 €18.75

$22.80 €19.65

-4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.89 €30.06

$37.59 €32.39

-7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.37

$57.7 €49.75

-12.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 €3.95

$20.74 €17.87

-77.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 €6.54

$10.82 €9.33

-29.85%

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

$659 €568

$728 €628

-9.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.4K

$14.8K €12.7K

-18.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €82.2

$88.6 €76.4

7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 €34.51

$36.85 €31.75

8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$102 €87.9

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 €698

$1,569 €1,352

-48.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 €543

$1,218 €1,050

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 €986

$2,795 €2,409

-59.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 €783

$1,975 €1,702

-54.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,448 €2,109

$7,754 €6,680

-68.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,040 €1,758

$5,176 €4,460

-60.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,103 €1,812

$2,343 €2,019

-10.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

3.39

1.18%

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

Last update for Albacete: June 9, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $810 in Albacete and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 11% 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: $42.00 in Albacete vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $319 per month, with Albacete 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

Albacete vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albacete and Barcelona differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,590 vs $2,337 including rent). Albacete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 11% 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: $810 in Albacete versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Albacete – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,590 per month in Albacete versus $2,337 in Barcelona – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,590 in Albacete versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albacete but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Albacete 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, Albacete 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 Albacete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.