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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,459 per month in Barcelona vs $1,079 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,452 per month in Barcelona vs $1,761 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in Barcelona vs $2,444 in Abha, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 128% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Abha is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 €16.18

$5.43 SAR 20.41

243.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 €57.6

$51.0 SAR 192

29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.09

$7.62 SAR 28.60

82.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$3.08 €2.67

$3.22 SAR 12.08

-4.35%

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

$2.91 €2.53

$0.64 SAR 2.40

354.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$0.22 SAR 0.83

745.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 €3.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.96

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-21.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.92

$0.60 SAR 2.26

268.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-5.73%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.29

$3.09 SAR 11.59

59.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 €14.16

$4.53 SAR 17.00

259.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 €8.20

$7.61 SAR 28.59

24.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.61

$18.69 SAR 70.2

2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.81

$2.03 SAR 7.63

59.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.96

$1.94 SAR 7.28

16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$1.64 SAR 6.14

56.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.41

$1.62 SAR 6.09

70.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 €1.96

$1.29 SAR 4.83

75.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.34

$0.34 SAR 1.29

352.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.75

$0.47 SAR 1.78

82.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.51 SAR 16.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.15

$9.56 SAR 35.92

-25.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €6.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 €2.22

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 €2.69

$0.79 SAR 2.99

291.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 €23.20

$35.46 SAR 133

-24.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.93

$2.88 SAR 10.80

17.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 €1.57

$2.72 SAR 10.23

-33.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.06 €29.59

$13.10 SAR 49.19

160.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.47

$0.60 SAR 2.24

181.67%

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

$35.6K €30.9K

$46.0K SAR 172.7K

-22.62%

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

$30.4K €26.4K

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

54.50%

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

$181 €157

$88.5 SAR 332

104.55%

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

$15.80 €13.73

$37.35 SAR 140

-57.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.62 €31.82

$76.3 SAR 287

-52.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 €47.26

$91.7 SAR 344

-40.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 €14.35

$45.83 SAR 172

-63.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 €9.87

$16.24 SAR 61.0

-30.05%

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

$946 €822

$207 SAR 779

356.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K €14.0K

$4,143 SAR 15.6K

288.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 €73.2

$30.48 SAR 114

176.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.40 €35.10

$72.0 SAR 270

-43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €93.0

$96.9 SAR 364

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €107

$67.6 SAR 254

82.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 €1,472

$309 SAR 1,161

447.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 €1,138

$251 SAR 943

421.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 €2,325

$535 SAR 2,010

399.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 €1,616

$561 SAR 2,108

231.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,483 €6,501

$940 SAR 3,532

695.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,263 €4,572

$1,352 SAR 5,077

289.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,087

$2,231 SAR 8,379

7.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.12

-48.00%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 3, 2026

Last update for Abha: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,694 in Barcelona versus $309 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 8% 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 $66.0 in Barcelona versus $51.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $202 – 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 128% 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 $3,689 per month in Barcelona and $1,618 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 61% 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 $66.0 in Barcelona and $51.0 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 $1,079, than in Barcelona at $2,459. 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 $1,079 versus $2,459 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.