Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Barcelona

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,367 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,465 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,563 in Barcelona, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 50% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amsterdam and Barcelona sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Barcelona by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.76

$17.58 €15.14

30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.0

$68.4 €58.9

59.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.85

$14.06 €12.10

6.19%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$2.78 €2.39

79.14%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$2.80 €2.41

20.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.06 €1.78

59.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$4.46 €3.84

54.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

$4.61 €3.97

49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.24 €1.07

18.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.03 €1.75

20.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.92 €1.65

34.90%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.57

$3.31 €2.85

60.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.72

$18.43 €15.87

-19.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.46

$9.49 €8.17

52.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.27

$19.16 €16.49

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.64 €2.27

6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.45 €2.11

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.12 €1.83

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$2.85 €2.45

71.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.85 €1.59

12.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.47 €1.27

-7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.84 €0.73

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.36

$7.14 €6.15

101.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.88 €6.79

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.38 €1.19

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.31 €1.99

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$2.98 €2.57

30.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$29.26 €25.19

302.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$4.60 €3.96

3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.07 €1.78

45.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.1

$29.18 €25.12

123.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.84 €1.58

24.46%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$39.0K €33.6K

11.43%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$32.7K €28.1K

18.24%

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

$304 €262

$188 €162

61.83%

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

$21.92 €18.87

$22.93 €19.74

-4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.86

$36.71 €31.61

41.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$57.4 €49.39

10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.16

$20.70 €17.82

91.69%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.75

$11.19 €9.64

53.17%

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

$2,862 €2,464

$721 €621

296.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$15.0K €13.0K

39.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.5

$86.2 €74.2

17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.53

$37.07 €31.92

33.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$102 €87.8

19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$116 €99.8

18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,049

$1,534 €1,320

55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,687

$1,220 €1,051

60.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,646

$2,696 €2,321

57.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,610

$2,013 €1,733

50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,577

$7,220 €6,216

54.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,561

$5,189 €4,467

46.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,224

$2,359 €2,031

107.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

3.39

18.58%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam 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 108% higher in Amsterdam, 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 $109 in Amsterdam versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $318 – making Barcelona 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

Amsterdam vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,314 per month in Amsterdam 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 Barcelona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 303% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $721 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,543 in Amsterdam and $2,367 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.

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 Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.