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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Barcelona vs $743 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,462 per month in Barcelona vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Barcelona vs $1,571 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 215% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 75% above the global median, while 'aqrah is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$4.12 IQD 5,395

327.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

172.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$7.04 IQD 9,226

95.31%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.59 IQD 3,398

6.56%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.39 IQD 516

612.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.22 IQD 282

831.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$2.84 IQD 3,720

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.84 IQD 3,717

61.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.36 IQD 1,786

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.78 IQD 1,028

170.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.65 IQD 2,159

19.39%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.79 IQD 2,342

92.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$4.43 IQD 5,806

325.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$4.78 IQD 6,262

97.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$13.06 IQD 17.1K

45.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.20 IQD 1,567

126.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.15 IQD 1,509

106.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.05 IQD 1,378

98.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.76 IQD 990

263.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.64 IQD 841

207.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.63 IQD 824

184.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.62 IQD 812

143.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.53 IQD 690

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$1.89 IQD 2,478

257.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.86 IQD 2,442

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.11 IQD 2,763

14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.40 IQD 520

657.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-8.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.26 IQD 2,959

96.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.48 IQD 1,939

38.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$6.17 IQD 8,077

375.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.53 IQD 696

256.60%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

101.57%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

61.26%

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

$189 €161

$76.8 IQD 100.7K

145.43%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$17.87 IQD 23.4K

24.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$37.42 IQD 49.0K

54.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

23.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$7.47 IQD 9,781

47.93%

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

$726 €622

$151 IQD 197.3K

382.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$3,295 IQD 4.3M

362.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$26.67 IQD 34.9K

231.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

45.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$62.0 IQD 81.3K

65.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$40.81 IQD 53.5K

192.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$243 IQD 318.4K

528.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$178 IQD 232.9K

585.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$588 IQD 770.5K

375.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$341 IQD 447.2K

493.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Barcelona versus $243 in 'aqrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $158 – making 'aqrah 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

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

Barcelona costs about 215% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,512 per month in Barcelona and $1,115 in 'aqrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,341 in Barcelona and $743 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Barcelona at $2,341. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $743 versus $2,341 in Barcelona. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 'aqrah. 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.