Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcoy and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcoy and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,603 per month in Alcoy vs $2,367 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,311 per month in Alcoy vs $3,465 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,019 per month in Alcoy vs $4,563 in Barcelona, rent included.

Alcoy is about 32% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alcoy and Barcelona sit above the global median – Alcoy by 20%, Barcelona by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 €8.98

$17.58 €15.12

-40.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 €50.3

$68.4 €58.9

-14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 €11.36

$14.06 €12.09

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$2.78 €2.39

-34.17%

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

$1.80 €1.55

$2.80 €2.41

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.06 €1.78

-33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €2.95

$4.46 €3.84

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.13

$4.61 €3.96

-46.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.24 €1.07

-16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.19

$2.03 €1.74

-31.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.92 €1.65

-27.08%

Eggs

$2.95 €2.54

$3.31 €2.85

-10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 €11.63

$18.43 €15.85

-26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 €7.40

$9.49 €8.16

-9.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 €12.88

$19.16 €16.48

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.64 €2.27

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.45 €2.11

-15.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.12 €1.82

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.85 €2.45

-9.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.04 €1.75

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.85 €1.59

3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.47 €1.26

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.84 €0.73

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 €5.45

$7.14 €6.14

-11.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 €5.06

$7.88 €6.78

-25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.38 €1.19

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.26

$2.31 €1.99

-36.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.98 €2.56

-44.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.65 €29.80

$29.26 €25.17

18.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 €3.44

$4.60 €3.95

-13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.07 €1.78

-40.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 €21.31

$29.18 €25.10

-15.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.84 €1.58

-2.17%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$39.0K €33.6K

-2.10%

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

$30.5K €26.2K

$32.7K €28.1K

-6.85%

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

$134 €115

$188 €162

-28.70%

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

$21.12 €18.16

$22.93 €19.73

-7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.23 €27.72

$36.71 €31.58

-12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 €41.12

$57.4 €49.35

-16.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 €13.07

$20.70 €17.80

-26.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 €7.87

$11.19 €9.63

-18.32%

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

$406 €349

$721 €620

-43.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,508 €6,458

$15.0K €12.9K

-50.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 €71.8

$86.2 €74.2

-3.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 €31.64

$37.07 €31.89

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 €75.7

$102 €87.8

-13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.3

$116 €99.7

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 €746

$1,534 €1,319

-43.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 €606

$1,220 €1,050

-42.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,134

$2,696 €2,319

-51.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 €870

$2,013 €1,732

-49.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,478 €2,992

$7,220 €6,211

-51.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 €1,967

$5,189 €4,463

-55.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,929 €1,659

$2,359 €2,029

-18.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.39

3.24%

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

Last update for Alcoy: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Alcoy versus $1,534 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 22% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Alcoy versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $318 – making Alcoy 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

Alcoy vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,603 in Alcoy, $2,367 in Barcelona – roughly 48% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,405 per month in Alcoy and $3,550 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Alcoy and $68.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alcoy, where all-in costs run around $1,603, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Alcoy 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 $1,603 in Alcoy to $2,367 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 Alcoy. 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.