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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $805 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $1,342 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $1,880 in Aktau, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 208% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Aktau is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$11.12 ₸4,987

68.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$44.80 ₸20.1K

55.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$10.16 ₸4,553

35.53%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.62 ₸1,174

18.32%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.78 ₸350

262.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.50 ₸225

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.31 ₸588

203.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$1.61 ₸720

181.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.49 ₸669

-14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.45 ₸201

380.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.91 ₸858

-7.85%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$1.75 ₸785

193.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$9.91 ₸4,445

80.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$4.28 ₸1,921

125.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$8.81 ₸3,949

128.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$1.53 ₸684

112.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.35 ₸1,053

-5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.43 ₸1,090

7.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$2.85 ₸1,278

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.62 ₸279

256.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.58 ₸261

265.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.49 ₸667

4.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.92 ₸415

3.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$2.74 ₸1,230

167.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$9.28 ₸4,163

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.73 ₸329

110.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$0.93 ₸417

200.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.16 ₸69.8

1843.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.10 ₸494

197.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.69 ₸308

114.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.63 ₸284

174.60%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$31.3K ₸14.0M

-2.39%

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

$187 €163

$45.48 ₸20.4K

311.35%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$8.21 ₸3,680

84.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$11.04 ₸4,950

241.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$37.14 ₸16.7K

50.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$3.11 ₸1,393

266.88%

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

$997 €869

$147 ₸65.9K

577.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$2,698 ₸1.2M

512.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$67.8 ₸30.4K

36.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$40.78 ₸18.3K

1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$73.3 ₸32.8K

51.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$90.8 ₸40.7K

37.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$329 ₸147.3K

419.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$200 ₸89.6K

543.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$554 ₸248.3K

363.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$386 ₸173.2K

402.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$814 ₸365.1K

839.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$644 ₸288.7K

702.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$569 ₸255.2K

312.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-77.43%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Aktau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $329 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 313% 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 $45.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $202 – 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 208% 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 $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $1,207 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 $69.0 in Barcelona and $45.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% 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 $805, than in Barcelona at $2,476. 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 $805 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 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.