Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al `alamayn Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al `alamayn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $485 in Al `alamayn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $770 in Al `alamayn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,055 in Al `alamayn.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 382% more expensive than Al `alamayn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Al `alamayn is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$5.82 E£297

193.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$13.92 E£711

397.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$4.02 E£205

242.79%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$0.90 E£46.12

206.67%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.32 E£16.26

771.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.10 E£5.30

1890.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.17 E£59.5

272.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.91 E£149

62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.99 E£50.6

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.29 E£14.74

606.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.58 E£29.49

243.10%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.52 E£77.7

123.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$2.52 E£129

646.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.26 E£218

119.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.39 E£377

158.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.34 E£68.5

101.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.60 E£30.75

290.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.44 E£22.54

381.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.25 E£12.73

1040.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.33 E£16.61

496.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.41 E£21.09

339.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.34 E£17.35

326.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.23 E£11.76

273.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$1.95 E£99.6

247.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$5.50 E£281

43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.31 E£67.0

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.87 E£95.7

26.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.17 E£8.54

1617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.42 E£21.29

961.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.31 E£15.86

561.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$1.01 E£51.6

2825.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.30 E£15.11

506.67%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$34.9K E£1.8M

11.36%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$33.2K E£1.7M

-0.38%

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

$189 €163

$24.25 E£1,238

680.33%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$9.66 E£494

136.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$15.83 E£808

137.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$22.19 E£1,133

160.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$2.98 E£152

263.09%

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

$728 €628

$32.97 E£1,684

2109.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$1,838 E£93.9K

703.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$17.75 E£907

399.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$42.16 E£2,153

-12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$113 E£5,791

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$75.1 E£3,835

54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$186 E£9,495

743.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$98.1 E£5,012

1141.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$314 E£16.0K

791.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$174 E£8,897

1033.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$752 E£38.4K

931.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$400 E£20.4K

1194.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-83.05%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al `alamayn: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $186 in Al `alamayn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $14.00 in Al `alamayn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $113 per month, with Al `alamayn cheaper across the board.

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 Al `alamayn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `alamayn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 382% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $728 in Al `alamayn to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $186 in Al `alamayn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 183% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,337 per month in Barcelona versus $485 in Al `alamayn – a 382% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $485 in Al `alamayn versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al `alamayn but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al `alamayn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al `alamayn is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Al `alamayn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al `alamayn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 382% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.