Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $684 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $1,498 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 246% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Al-'amarah is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$3.98 IQD 5,217

341.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

175.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$7.00 IQD 9,165

100.86%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.56 IQD 3,348

8.59%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.39 IQD 515

617.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.18 IQD 239

1044.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.95 IQD 3,863

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$2.84 IQD 3,723

62.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.79 IQD 2,342

-30.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.75 IQD 977

170.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.08 IQD 1,416

77.78%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.53 IQD 2,005

116.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$4.58 IQD 5,996

302.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.80 IQD 6,285

97.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$13.12 IQD 17.2K

46.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.85 IQD 1,118

210.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.05 IQD 1,375

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$0.86 IQD 1,125

146.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.37 IQD 483

670.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.70 IQD 922

191.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.34 IQD 450

444.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.67 IQD 882

119.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.47 IQD 612

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$1.94 IQD 2,534

268.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.85 IQD 2,417

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.18 IQD 2,854

5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.39 IQD 512

664.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-5.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$1.68 IQD 2,206

173.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.52 IQD 1,994

36.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$6.04 IQD 7,907

383.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.31 IQD 402

493.55%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

106.19%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

63.85%

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

$188 €162

$77.0 IQD 100.9K

143.83%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$22.53 IQD 29.5K

154.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

21.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

45.51%

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

$721 €620

$149 IQD 195.4K

383.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

363.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

219.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$24.83 IQD 32.5K

49.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

68.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$40.70 IQD 53.3K

184.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$333 IQD 435.4K

361.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$133 IQD 173.6K

820.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$448 IQD 586.7K

501.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$347 IQD 453.8K

480.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$583 IQD 763.6K

1138.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$494 IQD 647.3K

377.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $333 in Al-'amarah. 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 377% 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 $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah 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 Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 246%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $1,026 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 107% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al-'amarah. 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.