Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Akita Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Akita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $1,255 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $1,970 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $2,686 in Akita, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 85% more than Akita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Akita is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$7.05 ¥1,146

150.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$34.41 ¥5,591

102.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$5.27 ¥856

168.69%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.76 ¥611

-25.53%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.09 ¥176

157.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.87 ¥141

136.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.09 ¥340

120.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$3.21 ¥522

46.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.59 ¥258

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.59 ¥259

27.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.84 ¥786

-59.09%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.29 ¥372

52.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$10.26 ¥1,668

78.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$6.23 ¥1,012

57.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$15.15 ¥2,462

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$5.52 ¥897

-50.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.66 ¥432

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.95 ¥641

-47.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$6.03 ¥980

-54.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$3.07 ¥499

-36.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.67 ¥433

-32.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.40 ¥227

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.88 ¥144

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$4.28 ¥695

66.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$7.99 ¥1,298

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.91 ¥311

-27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.22 ¥361

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$1.58 ¥257

90.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$56.2 ¥9,126

-47.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.37 ¥548

29.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.93 ¥476

-27.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$20.57 ¥3,343

43.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.49 ¥242

22.15%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$22.7K ¥3.7M

66.56%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

87.41%

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

$189 €166

$143 ¥23.3K

31.76%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$27.40 ¥4,451

-18.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$34.40 ¥5,589

8.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$56.4 ¥9,166

2.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$14.13 ¥2,295

46.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$12.26 ¥1,992

-11.34%

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

$706 €618

$287 ¥46.7K

145.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$13.5K ¥2.2M

9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$45.35 ¥7,368

97.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$29.34 ¥4,767

24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$59.6 ¥9,676

74.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$92.1 ¥15.0K

29.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$460 ¥74.7K

243.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$328 ¥53.3K

277.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$873 ¥141.9K

210.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$651 ¥105.7K

213.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$4,404 ¥715.5K

70.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$2,240 ¥364.0K

133.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$1,585 ¥257.5K

49.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

1.78

90.45%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Akita: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $460 in Akita. 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 49% 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $34.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $318 – making Akita 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 Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 85% more than Akita, 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 $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $1,882 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 91% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Barcelona and $287 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,255, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,255 versus $2,320 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 Akita. 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.