Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Acuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Acuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $925 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,551 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $2,177 in Acuna, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 155% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Acuna is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.90

$13.74 MX$238

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.1

$22.24 MX$385

206.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.85

$7.89 MX$137

72.88%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.72 MX$47.08

2.21%

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

$2.82 €2.45

$1.01 MX$17.58

179.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.03 MX$17.93

90.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.85

$2.36 MX$40.81

87.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$3.94 MX$68.3

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.54 MX$26.65

-17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.93 MX$33.42

10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.70 MX$29.45

17.06%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.92 MX$50.5

15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.47

$6.61 MX$114

186.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.28

$4.86 MX$84.2

96.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.27

$9.01 MX$156

107.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.30

$2.41 MX$41.72

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.39 MX$24.04

69.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.76 MX$30.45

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.90 MX$32.94

43.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.82 MX$31.60

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.49 MX$25.78

21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.02 MX$17.64

48.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$1.31 MX$22.65

-32.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.89

$3.97 MX$68.7

70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.88

$9.30 MX$161

-14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.54 MX$26.68

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$2.81 MX$48.69

-14.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.53

$0.61 MX$10.53

377.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.90

$23.71 MX$411

20.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.98

$2.70 MX$46.79

69.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.58 MX$27.39

29.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.95

$8.11 MX$140

254.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.24 MX$21.49

46.77%

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

$39.3K €34.2K

$17.3K MX$300.5K

126.69%

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

$32.5K €28.2K

$18.1K MX$313.5K

79.49%

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

$187 €162

$56.1 MX$971

232.91%

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

$22.29 €19.37

$22.02 MX$382

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.60

$37.59 MX$651

-3.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.98

$28.57 MX$495

101.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.02

$14.63 MX$253

41.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.36

$4.14 MX$71.7

160.14%

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

$725 €630

$159 MX$2,754

355.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$3,658 MX$63.4K

314.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.3

$46.32 MX$802

89.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.98

$39.90 MX$691

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.8

$86.2 MX$1,493

20.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$84.2 MX$1,459

40.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,324

$290 MX$5,032

424.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,066

$202 MX$3,492

508.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,370

$836 MX$14.5K

226.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,724

$634 MX$11.0K

212.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,489

$1,714 MX$29.7K

335.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,555

$1,148 MX$19.9K

356.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,079

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

11.48

-70.47%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Acuna: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $290 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $22.00 in Acuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $221 – making Acuna 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 Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 155%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $1,388 in Acuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,359 in Barcelona and $925 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Acuna. 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.