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 $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $683 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $1,105 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $1,526 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 240% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Al-'amarah is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$3.95 IQD 5,168

347.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$25.27 IQD 33.1K

175.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$6.96 IQD 9,120

103.45%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.59 IQD 3,397

8.11%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.37 IQD 479

659.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.20 IQD 260

930.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$2.93 IQD 3,842

57.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$2.80 IQD 3,671

67.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.86 IQD 2,436

-33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.73 IQD 951

178.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.08 IQD 1,416

83.33%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.54 IQD 2,014

126.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$4.40 IQD 5,766

316.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$4.62 IQD 6,048

112.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$13.12 IQD 17.2K

45.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$0.92 IQD 1,204

196.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.08 IQD 1,415

120.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.85 IQD 1,111

144.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.37 IQD 484

643.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.71 IQD 929

176.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.37 IQD 488

383.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.62 IQD 811

138.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.44 IQD 570

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$1.95 IQD 2,554

265.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.78 IQD 2,335

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.08 IQD 2,728

14.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.39 IQD 513

671.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$31.25 IQD 40.9K

-6.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.61 IQD 2,114

170.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.55 IQD 2,032

37.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$6.05 IQD 7,921

389.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.31 IQD 405

487.10%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

98.93%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

63.64%

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

$189 €165

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

139.79%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

24.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$34.13 IQD 44.7K

8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$22.91 IQD 30.0K

153.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$16.78 IQD 22.0K

23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

40.80%

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

$706 €618

$154 IQD 201.4K

359.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$3,260 IQD 4.3M

356.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

234.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

47.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

67.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

192.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$329 IQD 431.3K

379.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$134 IQD 175.3K

824.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$454 IQD 594.7K

497.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$342 IQD 447.8K

496.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$567 IQD 741.9K

1228.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$491 IQD 643.0K

381.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $329 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 381% 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $152 – 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 240%, 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 $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $1,025 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 110% 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 $70.0 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 $683, than in Barcelona at $2,320. 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.