Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $835 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,311 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,786 in 'ali.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 197% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, 'ali is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$6.70 BHD 2.53

174.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$53.8 BHD 20.28

28.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$7.53 BHD 2.84

86.59%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$4.84 BHD 1.83

-35.74%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.83 BHD 0.31

256.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.30 BHD 0.11

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$9.97 BHD 3.76

-53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.48 BHD 0.56

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.07 BHD 0.40

97.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-20.43%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.33 BHD 0.88

121.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$8.71 BHD 3.28

101.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$6.42 BHD 2.42

47.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$8.79 BHD 3.31

126.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.41 BHD 0.91

31.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.23 BHD 0.84

-0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.87 BHD 0.70

39.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.38 BHD 0.52

106.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.00 BHD 0.38

117.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.42 BHD 0.53

48.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.54 BHD 0.58

5.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.84 BHD 0.32

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$5.41 BHD 2.04

32.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$18.77 BHD 7.07

-55.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$3.49 BHD 1.32

-57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.67 BHD 1.01

3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$5.17 BHD 1.95

-37.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-56.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$15.67 BHD 5.91

125.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.70 BHD 0.26

150.00%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

0.39%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$20.9K BHD 7,894

51.22%

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

$187 €161

$151 BHD 57.1

23.62%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$24.86 BHD 9.37

-39.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$35.36 BHD 13.33

6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$10.71 BHD 4.04

9.34%

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

$1,011 €871

$480 BHD 181

110.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$10.8K BHD 4,063

58.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$50.3 BHD 18.94

81.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$58.5 BHD 22.05

-29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$89.6 BHD 33.77

23.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$91.2 BHD 34.37

38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$3,759 BHD 1,417

-36.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.21

-49.11%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $54.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $251 per month, with 'ali 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

Barcelona vs 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in 'ali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $835 in 'ali – a 197% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in 'ali versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.