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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $1,235 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $1,965 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,695 in Akita, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 101% more than Akita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Akita is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.31

$6.61 ¥1,036

183.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$32.99 ¥5,175

110.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.98

$4.90 ¥769

181.02%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.62 ¥567

-14.36%

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

$2.83 €2.46

$1.02 ¥160

177.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.81 ¥127

132.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.95 ¥306

104.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

$3.28 ¥515

38.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.55 ¥243

-18.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.53 ¥241

41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$3.65 ¥573

-51.78%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.46

$2.09 ¥328

145.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.56

$12.37 ¥1,941

44.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.40

$6.50 ¥1,019

48.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.54

$15.35 ¥2,407

31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$4.62 ¥724

-29.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.41 ¥379

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$3.08 ¥484

-15.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$3.81 ¥598

-27.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.81 ¥441

-21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$2.14 ¥336

-0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.31 ¥206

18.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.81 ¥127

17.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

$3.89 ¥610

88.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.00

$7.33 ¥1,149

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

$2.04 ¥319

-24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$2.12 ¥332

31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.70

$1.49 ¥233

108.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.51

$58.7 ¥9,203

-55.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.51 ¥551

-6.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.86 ¥449

-48.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

$22.36 ¥3,507

53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.36 ¥214

27.21%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$22.2K ¥3.5M

63.73%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

99.54%

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

$187 €163

$133 ¥20.9K

40.56%

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

$15.14 €13.18

$24.57 ¥3,854

-38.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.80

$31.96 ¥5,014

17.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.68

$53.9 ¥8,447

3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

$12.45 ¥1,952

-8.35%

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

$997 €867

$551 ¥86.5K

80.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$11.8K ¥1.8M

40.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

$43.20 ¥6,776

114.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

$32.49 ¥5,097

26.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$87.2 ¥13.7K

27.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$93.2 ¥14.6K

34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,486

$507 ¥79.6K

236.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,119

$336 ¥52.7K

282.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,233

$1,055 ¥165.4K

143.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,690

$751 ¥117.9K

158.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,655

$3,700 ¥580.4K

106.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

$1,762 ¥276.3K

193.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,044

$1,633 ¥256.1K

43.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

2.09

51.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Akita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $507 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 44% 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 $33.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $295 – 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 101% 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 $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $1,852 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 127% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $997 per month in Barcelona and $551 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 $1,235, than in Barcelona at $2,476. 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 $1,235 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 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.