Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ahvaz

For one person, living is cheaper in Ahvaz: $576 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Ahvaz, Iran
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Ahvaz
🇮🇷 Iran
$576
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Ahvaz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Ahvaz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Barcelona vs $576 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Ahvaz $576

A couple spends around $3,509 per month in Barcelona vs $876 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Ahvaz $876

A family of three spends $4,564 per month in Barcelona vs $1,176 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Ahvaz $1,176

Barcelona costs about 325% more than Ahvaz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Barcelona sits 80% above the global median, while Ahvaz is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.75
$1.97 $1.97
792.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$12.14 $12.14
455.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.12
$3.83 $3.83
253.26%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.86 $0.86
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.13 $1.13
-
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$1.19 $1.19
168.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$0.48 $0.48
506.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$0.95 $0.95
98.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.59
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$0.88 $0.88
48.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$0.57 $0.57
254.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.81 $1.81
2.21%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.33
$1.25 $1.25
286.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €14.99
$4.15 $4.15
303.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.17
$3.79 $3.79
140.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.59
$9.30 $9.30
111.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$0.86 $0.86
246.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.40 $1.40
44.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$0.78 $0.78
246.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$0.54 $0.54
418.52%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$0.60 $0.60
248.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$0.54 $0.54
283.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.44 $0.44
231.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.31 $0.31
203.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.03 $1.03
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.52 $0.52
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.15 $1.15
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.15
$2.21 $2.21
210.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.06
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$0.15 $0.15
1993.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.79
$9.71 $9.71
162.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$0.48 $0.48
522.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$0.52 $0.52
186.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.89
$2.93 $2.93
1038.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$0.10 $0.10
1700.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$117.4K $117.4K
-71.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$62.6K $62.6K
-49.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$14.03 $14.03
1185.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.39
$1.55 $1.55
792.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.18
$7.04 $7.04
378.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.13
$18.14 $18.14
183.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.29
$5.93 $5.93
169.14%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.85
$1.19 $1.19
823.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €821
$104 $104
778.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$636 $636
2489.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €77.9
$53.4 $53.4
62.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.49
$47.31 $47.31
-18.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.8
$94.9 $94.9
11.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$103 $103
15.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,522
$312 $312
443.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,214
$225 $225
502.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,331
$512 $512
408.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,847
$349 $349
491.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,193
$1,274 $1,274
442.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,592
$742 $742
590.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Ahvaz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,980
$541 $541
308.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
23.67
-86.14%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ahvaz: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Ahvaz
$225 83.4% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Ahvaz
$113 64.9% $209
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Ahvaz
$47 82.3% $221
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Ahvaz
$23 90.1% $205
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Ahvaz
$135 14.8% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Ahvaz
$21 72.1% $53
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Ahvaz
$13 72.4% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,699 in Barcelona versus $312 in Ahvaz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Barcelona are about 4.1 times higher, 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 $67 in Barcelona versus $12 in Ahvaz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $113 – making Ahvaz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇮🇷 Ahvaz
🕒 Local time
15:18 3:18 PM
17:48 5:48 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
1,184,788
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Ahvaz 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Ahvaz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ahvaz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ahvaz cheaper than Barcelona?
Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 325%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,679 per month in Barcelona and $865 in Ahvaz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahvaz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $312 there versus $1,699 in Barcelona.
Is eating out cheaper in Barcelona or in Ahvaz?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Barcelona and $12 in Ahvaz. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Barcelona and in Ahvaz?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $576 in Ahvaz. That makes Ahvaz about 76% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Barcelona or in Ahvaz?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ahvaz, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Barcelona at $2,453. In Ahvaz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Barcelona or Ahvaz more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ahvaz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ahvaz. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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