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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Barcelona vs $747 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,468 per month in Barcelona vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,599 per month in Barcelona vs $1,568 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 213% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while 'aqrah is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$4.04 IQD 5,286

322.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

179.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$6.84 IQD 8,959

101.46%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.60 IQD 3,410

6.15%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.36 IQD 475

675.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.17 IQD 218

1070.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.82 IQD 3,697

54.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.86 IQD 3,741

65.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.33 IQD 1,739

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.84 IQD 1,100

144.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.60 IQD 2,100

24.37%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.81 IQD 2,372

87.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$4.57 IQD 5,989

311.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.78 IQD 6,266

95.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

44.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.19 IQD 1,558

126.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.21 IQD 1,585

93.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.06 IQD 1,388

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.74 IQD 974

285.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.70 IQD 912

181.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.68 IQD 885

164.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.63 IQD 823

130.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.53 IQD 690

62.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$1.97 IQD 2,575

244.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.76 IQD 2,307

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.16 IQD 2,832

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.39 IQD 512

648.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$31.75 IQD 41.6K

-9.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.26 IQD 2,954

97.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.50 IQD 1,959

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$6.16 IQD 8,065

379.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.54 IQD 702

237.04%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

105.88%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

66.90%

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

$189 €163

$78.7 IQD 103.1K

140.44%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$17.29 IQD 22.6K

31.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

57.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$16.65 IQD 21.8K

24.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

38.54%

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

$728 €628

$149 IQD 195.7K

387.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$3,313 IQD 4.3M

345.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

221.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$24.89 IQD 32.6K

48.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

69.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$40.61 IQD 53.2K

185.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$245 IQD 320.2K

541.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$176 IQD 230.7K

591.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$571 IQD 747.7K

389.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$350 IQD 458.5K

464.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Barcelona versus $245 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: $319 vs $159 – 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 213% 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 $3,505 per month in Barcelona and $1,120 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 $2,337 in Barcelona and $747 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $747, than in Barcelona at $2,337. 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 $747 versus $2,337 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.