Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Arica vs $2,359 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Arica vs $3,498 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,215 per month in Arica vs $4,638 in Barcelona, rent included.

Arica is about 54% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arica sits 18% below the global median, while Barcelona is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 CLP 7,947

$17.15 €14.86

-50.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 CLP 41.1K

$68.1 €58.9

-35.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 CLP 7,527

$13.64 €11.82

-40.69%

Cappuccino

$2.76 CLP 2,569

$2.78 €2.41

-0.72%

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

$1.31 CLP 1,217

$2.82 €2.44

-53.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 982

$1.96 €1.70

-45.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 3,033

$4.43 €3.84

-26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CLP 4,004

$4.61 €3.99

-6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,151

$1.27 €1.10

-2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CLP 1,390

$2.13 €1.85

-30.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,792

$1.99 €1.72

-3.02%

Eggs

$3.62 CLP 3,370

$3.37 €2.92

7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,780

$18.96 €16.42

-44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 6,120

$9.53 €8.26

-30.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CLP 10.3K

$18.73 €16.22

-41.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,679

$2.65 €2.29

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,399

$2.35 €2.04

-36.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,478

$2.09 €1.81

-23.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,355

$2.73 €2.37

-46.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,144

$1.96 €1.70

-37.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,295

$1.81 €1.56

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,165

$1.51 €1.31

-17.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$0.89 €0.77

31.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,975

$6.78 €5.87

-21.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 CLP 5,181

$7.92 €6.86

-29.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.37 €1.19

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CLP 2,171

$2.40 €2.08

-2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 549

$2.91 €2.52

-79.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 468

$4.58 €3.96

-89.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,266

$1.82 €1.58

-25.27%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$39.3K €34.0K

-49.69%

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

$21.2K CLP 19.7M

$32.5K €28.1K

-34.72%

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

$131 CLP 121.6K

$187 €162

-29.95%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$22.29 €19.30

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

$36.37 €31.50

-40.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.79 CLP 36.1K

$57.5 €49.82

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 CLP 19.9K

$20.74 €17.96

2.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 CLP 5,124

$10.77 €9.33

-48.84%

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

$435 CLP 404.4K

$725 €628

-40.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

$87.9 €76.1

-42.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.44 CLP 28.3K

$36.81 €31.88

-17.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 CLP 53.7K

$103 €89.6

-44.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 77.9K

$119 €103

-29.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 CLP 443.4K

$1,524 €1,319

-68.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 354.0K

$1,227 €1,062

-68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 CLP 839.9K

$2,727 €2,362

-66.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 548.1K

$1,984 €1,718

-70.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 CLP 490.6K

$2,393 €2,072

-77.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

3.39

52.80%

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

Last update for Arica: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Arica versus $1,524 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 354% 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 $44.00 in Arica versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $319 – making Arica 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

Arica vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,086 in Arica, $2,359 in Barcelona – roughly 117% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in Arica and $3,539 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Arica and $68.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Arica 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 $1,086 in Arica to $2,359 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 Arica. 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.