Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aachen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aachen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Barcelona vs $2,000 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,468 per month in Barcelona vs $3,085 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,599 per month in Barcelona vs $4,170 in Aachen, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 17% more than Aachen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barcelona and Aachen sit above the global median – Barcelona by 74%, Aachen by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$16.28 €14.03

4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$81.2 €69.9

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$11.74 €10.12

17.38%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$4.04 €3.48

-31.68%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$3.21 €2.77

-13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.00 €2.59

-33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$5.06 €4.36

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$4.76 €4.10

-0.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.25 €1.08

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.28 €1.96

-10.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$3.46 €2.98

-42.49%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$3.51 €3.02

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$14.81 €12.76

27.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$13.75 €11.85

-31.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$19.27 €16.60

-0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$3.10 €2.67

-12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.78 €1.53

31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.22 €1.92

-4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$4.49 €3.87

-36.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.53 €1.32

28.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.71 €1.48

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.89 €1.63

-23.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.94 €0.81

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$9.41 €8.11

-27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$7.06 €6.09

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.04 €0.89

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.59 €1.37

49.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$3.38 €2.91

-13.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$58.5 €50.4

-50.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.55 €4.78

-19.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.24 €1.93

-8.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$17.43 €15.02

69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$2.10 €1.81

-13.33%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$32.0K €27.6K

21.36%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$39.1K €33.7K

-15.45%

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

$189 €163

$356 €306

-46.79%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$19.85 €17.10

14.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$53.6 €46.19

-29.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$34.79 €29.98

65.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$21.72 €18.71

-4.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$15.94 €13.73

-32.12%

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

$728 €628

$407 €351

79.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$23.6K €20.3K

-37.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$111 €95.7

-20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$45.47 €39.18

-18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$82.1 €70.7

24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$132 €114

-12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$828 €713

89.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$584 €503

108.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,432 €1,233

95.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,170 €1,008

68.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$4,641 €3,998

67.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$3,632 €3,129

42.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$3,542 €3,052

-33.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.97

-14.61%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aachen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Barcelona versus $828 in Aachen. 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 51% higher in Aachen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $81.0 in Aachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $341 – making Barcelona 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 Aachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona, $2,000 in Aachen – roughly 17% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Barcelona and $3,000 in Aachen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aachen, 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 $69.0 in Barcelona and $81.0 in Aachen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,337 in Barcelona and $2,000 in Aachen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Aachen, where all-in costs run around $2,000, than in Barcelona at $2,337. In Aachen 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 $2,000 in Aachen to $2,337 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 Aachen. 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.