Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aktobe

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktobe: $881 a month against $2,399 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,399
/mo nomad
Aktobe
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$881
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Aktobe

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 Aktobe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,399 per month in Barcelona vs $881 in Aktobe, rent included.

  • Barcelona $2,399
  • Aktobe $881

A couple spends around $3,410 per month in Barcelona vs $1,386 in Aktobe, rent included.

  • Barcelona $3,410
  • Aktobe $1,386

A family of three spends $4,421 per month in Barcelona vs $1,891 in Aktobe, rent included.

  • Barcelona $4,421
  • Aktobe $1,891

Barcelona costs about 172% more than Aktobe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Barcelona sits 78% above the global median, while Aktobe is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.94 €15.96
$8.74 ₸3,951
105.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.5
$40.63 ₸18.4K
67.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.28 €11.81
$7.01 ₸3,170
89.44%
Cappuccino
$3.25 €2.89
$2.47 ₸1,115
31.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 €2.67
$1.26 ₸567
138.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.66
$0.61 ₸275
206.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 €3.42
$1.84 ₸831
109.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$2.95 ₸1,335
51.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.42 ₸641
-9.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.04 €1.81
$0.41 ₸184
397.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.93 ₸421
84.95%
Eggs
$4.77 €4.24
$1.77 ₸799
169.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.77 €14.92
$7.82 ₸3,535
114.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 €7.94
$5.68 ₸2,569
57.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 €17.68
$9.10 ₸4,115
118.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.65
$1.62 ₸733
83.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.80
$2.13 ₸964
-4.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 €2.43
$2.34 ₸1,058
16.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.68 €2.38
$1.94 ₸878
38.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$0.84 ₸378
150.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$0.40 ₸181
420.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.09 ₸494
33.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.79
$0.69 ₸312
28.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.94 €6.17
$2.53 ₸1,142
174.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.78 €6.92
$5.95 ₸2,689
30.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.08 ₸489
34.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 €2.29
$1.81 ₸818
41.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 €2.66
$0.20 ₸90.8
1395.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.20 €22.41
$17.62 ₸7,966
43.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 €2.77
$1.08 ₸487
188.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.13 ₸511
27.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.50 €29.80
$5.53 ₸2,499
505.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.59
$0.65 ₸294
175.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K €30.8K
$23.1K ₸10.4M
49.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K €26.7K
$30.6K ₸13.8M
-1.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 €158
$55.8 ₸25.2K
219.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 €11.85
$10.35 ₸4,680
28.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.88 €31.03
$20.93 ₸9,463
66.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.3 €47.37
$48.08 ₸21.7K
10.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.01 €14.24
$12.14 ₸5,490
31.88%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.84
$5.44 ₸2,458
103.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$957 €851
$220 ₸99.6K
334.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.7K
$3,286 ₸1.5M
404.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.2 €78.4
$54.4 ₸24.6K
62.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.49 €35.12
$55.8 ₸25.2K
-29.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.5
$118 ₸53.3K
-12.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$100 ₸45.3K
21.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 €1,470
$307 ₸138.8K
438.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 €1,158
$233 ₸105.5K
457.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,557 €2,275
$453 ₸204.8K
464.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,915 €1,703
$359 ₸162.3K
433.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,286 €6,481
$846 ₸382.4K
761.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,080 €4,519
$546 ₸247.0K
829.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Aktobe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,281 €2,029
$548 ₸247.8K
316.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
17
-80.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 11, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Aktobe
$234 82.1% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$320
Aktobe
$185 42.2% $135
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Aktobe
$143 47% $127
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$226
Aktobe
$87 61.5% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Aktobe
$148 6.7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$75
Aktobe
$59 21.8% $16
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Aktobe
$25 47% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Barcelona versus $307 in Aktobe. 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 316% 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 $41.00 in Aktobe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $185 – making Aktobe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇰🇿 Aktobe
🕒 Local time
10:48 10:48 AM
13:48 1:48 PM
3 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
570,452
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Aktobe 4,280 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Aktobe

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 Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aktobe cheaper than Barcelona?
Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 172%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,599 per month in Barcelona and $1,321 in Aktobe. 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 Aktobe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Barcelona and in Aktobe?
Groceries cost about 73% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Barcelona or in Aktobe?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $41.00 in Aktobe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Barcelona or in Aktobe?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Barcelona at $2,399. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Barcelona or Aktobe more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Barcelona or Aktobe?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. 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.

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