Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Barcelona vs $1,141 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,462 per month in Barcelona vs $1,892 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Barcelona vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 105% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 75% above the global median, while Abha is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$5.45 SAR 20.42

223.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$53.5 SAR 201

28.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$7.66 SAR 28.72

79.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$3.22 SAR 12.08

-14.29%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.64 SAR 2.39

334.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.23 SAR 0.86

791.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.52 SAR 1.96

305.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-1.99%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.98 SAR 11.19

15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$5.91 SAR 22.15

218.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$8.42 SAR 31.57

12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$17.17 SAR 64.4

10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.82 SAR 6.81

49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.69 SAR 6.35

40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.43 SAR 5.35

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$1.66 SAR 6.23

66.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.41 SAR 5.30

39.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.20 SAR 4.52

49.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.92 SAR 3.43

64.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.54 SAR 2.04

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$9.56 SAR 35.85

-29.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.79 SAR 2.96

283.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$39.27 SAR 147

-27.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.58 SAR 9.69

71.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-22.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$13.37 SAR 50.1

119.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.61 SAR 2.28

209.84%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

59.03%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

44.97%

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

$189 €161

$81.9 SAR 307

130.32%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$37.31 SAR 140

-40.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$54.6 SAR 205

-32.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$122 SAR 456

-52.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$26.62 SAR 99.8

-21.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$18.01 SAR 67.6

-38.65%

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

$726 €622

$233 SAR 874

211.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

190.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$38.24 SAR 143

130.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$66.8 SAR 250

-44.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$178 SAR 669

-42.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$89.4 SAR 335

33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$349 SAR 1,309

337.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$263 SAR 985

363.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$559 SAR 2,095

400.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$629 SAR 2,360

222.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$1,053 SAR 3,949

573.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$611 SAR 2,293

693.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$2,393 SAR 8,972

0.48%

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 Abha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Barcelona versus $349 in Abha. 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 0% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $54.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $206 – making Abha 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 Abha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 105% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,711 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 55% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona and $54.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,141, than in Barcelona at $2,341. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,141 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 Abha. 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.