Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aktau Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aktau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $714 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,184 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $1,655 in Aktau, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 231% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Aktau is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$9.84 ₸4,666

74.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$39.52 ₸18.7K

72.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$8.85 ₸4,197

54.12%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.21 ₸1,047

25.79%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.51 ₸242

452.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.40 ₸192

390.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.20 ₸569

269.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$1.33 ₸631

246.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.20 ₸568

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.38 ₸181

460.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.61 ₸765

23.60%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.44 ₸682

134.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$8.91 ₸4,225

112.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$3.95 ₸1,872

141.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$7.52 ₸3,565

149.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.34 ₸636

97.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.09 ₸991

12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.14 ₸1,015

-2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.46 ₸1,168

10.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.56 ₸263

250.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.47 ₸222

285.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.29 ₸612

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.87 ₸413

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.38 ₸1,130

184.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$8.78 ₸4,164

-9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.67 ₸318

104.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$0.81 ₸385

196.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.15 ₸72.9

1840.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.97 ₸458

372.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.62 ₸295

229.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$4.75 ₸2,251

504.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.46 ₸220

295.65%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$20.3K ₸9.6M

93.26%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$25.0K ₸11.9M

29.89%

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

$187 €162

$40.64 ₸19.3K

359.23%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$7.71 ₸3,656

189.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$9.29 ₸4,404

291.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$31.69 ₸15.0K

81.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$2.79 ₸1,322

286.02%

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

$725 €628

$129 ₸61.3K

460.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$2,385 ₸1.1M

535.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$58.4 ₸27.7K

50.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$35.67 ₸16.9K

3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$62.5 ₸29.6K

65.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$79.7 ₸37.8K

48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$253 ₸120.1K

501.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$177 ₸84.1K

591.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$445 ₸210.8K

513.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$367 ₸173.9K

440.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$755 ₸358.1K

888.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$609 ₸288.7K

761.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$538 ₸255.0K

344.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-57.62%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $253 in Aktau. 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 345% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona versus $40.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $178 – making Aktau 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 Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 231% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $1,071 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $40.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $714 versus $2,359 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 Aktau. 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.