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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Barcelona vs $2,007 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,462 per month in Barcelona vs $3,044 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Barcelona vs $4,082 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 75%, Aachen by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$16.07 €13.75

9.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$79.6 €68.1

-13.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$11.42 €9.78

20.40%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$4.06 €3.47

-32.02%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$3.28 €2.81

-15.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$3.04 €2.60

-32.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$5.28 €4.52

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$4.58 €3.92

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.21 €1.04

5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.26 €1.94

-6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.29 €2.82

-40.12%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$3.52 €3.01

-2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$14.64 €12.53

28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$13.97 €11.96

-32.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$19.52 €16.71

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$3.20 €2.74

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.77 €1.51

33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.31 €1.97

-9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$4.55 €3.89

-39.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.62 €1.39

21.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.90 €1.63

-20.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.94 €0.81

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$9.71 €8.31

-30.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$7.17 €6.14

5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.08 €0.93

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.60 €1.37

50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$3.56 €3.05

-14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$57.8 €49.47

-50.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$5.53 €4.73

-19.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.24 €1.92

-8.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$17.57 €15.04

66.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.07 €1.78

-8.70%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$30.8K €26.4K

25.67%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$37.8K €32.4K

-14.50%

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

$189 €161

$366 €314

-48.53%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$19.85 €17.00

11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$52.7 €45.13

-30.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$35.60 €30.47

62.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$22.23 €19.03

-5.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$16.25 €13.91

-32.00%

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

$726 €622

$405 €346

79.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$23.2K €19.9K

-34.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$111 €94.6

-20.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$44.27 €37.90

-16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$83.0 €71.0

23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$133 €114

-10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$824 €706

85.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$587 €502

107.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,466 €1,255

90.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$1,203 €1,029

68.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$4,661 €3,990

52.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$3,601 €3,082

34.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$3,589 €3,073

-33.02%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aachen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Barcelona versus $824 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 49% 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 $80.0 in Aachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $343 – 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: $2,341 in Barcelona, $2,007 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 $3,512 per month in Barcelona and $3,010 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 $80.0 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 $2,341 in Barcelona and $2,007 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 $2,007, than in Barcelona at $2,341. 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 $2,007 in Aachen to $2,341 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.