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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $750 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,160 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $1,570 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 214% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while 'aqrah is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$4.13 IQD 5,408

315.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

174.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$6.87 IQD 8,996

98.54%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.64 IQD 3,462

5.30%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.40 IQD 522

605.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.19 IQD 250

931.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$2.89 IQD 3,783

53.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.94 IQD 3,854

56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.35 IQD 1,773

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.78 IQD 1,017

173.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.60 IQD 2,093

24.37%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.81 IQD 2,368

86.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$4.60 IQD 6,027

312.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$4.78 IQD 6,262

99.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$13.32 IQD 17.4K

40.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.19 IQD 1,552

122.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.21 IQD 1,590

94.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.06 IQD 1,389

97.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.71 IQD 929

284.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.65 IQD 855

201.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.66 IQD 869

174.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.62 IQD 813

143.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.52 IQD 682

71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$1.94 IQD 2,541

249.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.83 IQD 2,401

-25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.07 IQD 2,706

15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.37 IQD 482

686.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$31.55 IQD 41.3K

-9.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$2.24 IQD 2,928

104.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.54 IQD 2,013

32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$5.90 IQD 7,729

386.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.54 IQD 701

237.04%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

104.12%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

65.24%

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

$187 €162

$76.5 IQD 100.1K

144.06%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$17.41 IQD 22.8K

28.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$33.96 IQD 44.5K

7.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$36.59 IQD 47.9K

57.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

25.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$7.50 IQD 9,817

43.60%

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

$725 €628

$150 IQD 197.1K

381.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$3,228 IQD 4.2M

369.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$27.10 IQD 35.5K

224.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$24.99 IQD 32.7K

47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$61.3 IQD 80.2K

68.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$40.99 IQD 53.7K

189.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$243 IQD 318.8K

525.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$181 IQD 237.3K

576.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$583 IQD 763.3K

367.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$348 IQD 455.2K

470.70%

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)

$2,393 €2,072

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 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 $68.0 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 214% 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 $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $1,125 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 $2,359 in Barcelona and $750 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $750, than in Barcelona at $2,359. 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 $750 versus $2,359 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.