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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $1,040 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $1,766 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,492 in Abha, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 138% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Abha is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.31

$5.25 SAR 19.70

256.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$51.6 SAR 194

34.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.98

$7.51 SAR 28.21

83.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.21 SAR 12.05

-3.43%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.59 SAR 2.22

379.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.22 SAR 0.82

754.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-22.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.61 SAR 2.28

254.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-8.33%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.46

$3.23 SAR 12.12

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.56

$4.55 SAR 17.08

292.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.40

$7.35 SAR 27.62

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.54

$18.53 SAR 69.6

8.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.99 SAR 7.46

63.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.96 SAR 7.38

13.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$1.56 SAR 5.86

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.63 SAR 6.14

69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.26 SAR 8.51

-2.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.22 SAR 4.60

73.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.37 SAR 1.40

318.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.50 SAR 1.89

90.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

$9.55 SAR 35.86

-23.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.70

$0.84 SAR 3.17

270.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.51

$35.69 SAR 134

-27.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.01 SAR 11.31

8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-44.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

$13.36 SAR 50.2

156.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$0.64 SAR 2.40

170.31%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

-19.94%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$19.2K SAR 72.2K

58.95%

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

$187 €163

$89.6 SAR 337

108.75%

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

$15.14 €13.18

$36.82 SAR 138

-58.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.80

$76.0 SAR 286

-50.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.69

$91.7 SAR 344

-38.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

$45.76 SAR 172

-62.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

$16.08 SAR 60.4

-29.04%

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

$997 €867

$211 SAR 792

372.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$4,113 SAR 15.4K

301.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

$30.18 SAR 113

206.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

$71.3 SAR 268

-42.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$97.1 SAR 365

14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$65.4 SAR 245

91.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,486

$312 SAR 1,173

446.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,119

$246 SAR 925

422.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,233

$541 SAR 2,032

374.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,690

$567 SAR 2,130

242.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,656

$920 SAR 3,457

730.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

$1,340 SAR 5,034

285.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,044

$2,258 SAR 8,480

4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-47.33%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $312 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 4% 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 $52.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 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 138% 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 $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $1,560 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 66% 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 $52.0 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 $1,040, than in Barcelona at $2,476. 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 $1,040 versus $2,476 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.