Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amstelveen and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $3,074 in Amstelveen, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amstelveen
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,074
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amstelveen 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 Amstelveen and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,074 per month in Amstelveen vs $2,381 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $3,074
  • Barcelona $2,381

A couple spends around $4,293 per month in Amstelveen vs $3,406 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $4,293
  • Barcelona $3,406

A family of three spends $5,512 per month in Amstelveen vs $4,431 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $5,512
  • Barcelona $4,431

Amstelveen costs about 29% more than Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Amstelveen and Barcelona sit above the global median – Amstelveen by 127%, Barcelona by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.20 €21.53
$17.89 €15.92
35.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.1 €74.8
$66.2 €58.9
27.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.40 €11.92
$13.69 €12.18
-2.12%
Cappuccino
$3.92 €3.49
$3.06 €2.72
28.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.45
$3.07 €2.73
26.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 €2.75
$1.94 €1.73
59.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.46 €4.86
$3.87 €3.44
41.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73 €5.10
$4.61 €4.10
24.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.30 €1.16
-11.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 €1.41
$2.10 €1.87
-24.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.68 €3.27
$1.83 €1.62
101.09%
Eggs
$4.95 €4.40
$4.62 €4.11
7.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.70 €11.30
$17.36 €15.44
-26.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.22 €12.65
$9.28 €8.25
53.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.79 €14.94
$19.83 €17.64
-15.33%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$3.01 €2.68
-34.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$2.03 €1.81
18.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 €1.67
$2.65 €2.36
-29.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.78 €5.14
$2.87 €2.55
101.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$2.16 €1.92
-6.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.15 €1.91
-13.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.47 €1.31
-16.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 €0.63
$0.88 €0.79
-19.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.99 €12.44
$6.93 €6.16
101.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.55 €5.82
$7.83 €6.96
-16.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.39 €1.24
7.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 €2.32
$2.63 €2.34
-0.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.87 €3.45
$2.91 €2.59
32.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 €65.7
$25.46 €22.64
190.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.64
$3.00 €2.66
36.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.06 €2.72
$1.44 €1.28
112.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.19 €26.86
$33.20 €29.53
-9.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 €2.15
$1.86 €1.65
30.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9K €36.4K
$32.3K €28.8K
26.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K €35.6K
$31.7K €28.2K
26.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 €250
$183 €163
54.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.53 €21.82
$13.61 €12.11
80.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 €45.26
$32.93 €29.29
54.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.15 €27.71
$54.7 €48.65
-43.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$56.6 €50.4
$16.52 €14.70
242.74%
Cinema Ticket
$16.65 €14.81
$11.23 €9.99
48.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,305 €2,050
$954 €849
141.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.8K €23.8K
$16.6K €14.8K
61.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 €52.7
$86.0 €76.5
-31.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.81 €39.86
$39.11 €34.78
14.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 €79.9
$104 €92.2
-13.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148 €132
$119 €106
24.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,278 €2,026
$1,695 €1,508
34.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,711 €1,522
$1,276 €1,135
34.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,159 €2,810
$2,576 €2,291
22.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,467 €2,194
$1,922 €1,710
28.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,122 €7,225
$7,281 €6,477
11.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,959 €5,301
$5,010 €4,456
18.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amstelveen
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,726 €4,204
$2,227 €1,981
112.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
3.28
31.10%

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

Last update for Amstelveen: October 19, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amstelveen
$1.7K
Barcelona
$1.3K 25.4% $435
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amstelveen
$357
Barcelona
$229 35.8% $128
Eating Out
Amstelveen
$348
Barcelona
$270 22.5% $78
Groceries & Markets
Amstelveen
$331
Barcelona
$325 1.8% $6
Clothing & Footwear
Amstelveen
$154
Barcelona
$156 1.6% $2.5
Getting Around
Amstelveen
$109
Barcelona
$47 56.5% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Amstelveen
$64
Barcelona
$77 19.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,278 in Amstelveen versus $1,695 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 112% higher in Amstelveen, 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 $84.0 in Amstelveen versus $66.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $325 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amstelveen
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
23:11 11:11 PM
23:11 11:11 PM
Same time as Amstelveen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,675
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Amstelveen Barcelona 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Amstelveen
  • 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
Amstelveen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barcelona cheaper than Amstelveen?
Yes – Amstelveen is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,611 per month in Amstelveen and $3,571 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barcelona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 190% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,305 per month in Amstelveen and $954 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough to cover costs in Amstelveen or in Barcelona?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,074 in Amstelveen and $2,381 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Amstelveen or Barcelona more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Barcelona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Amstelveen or Barcelona?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amstelveen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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