Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $793 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,166 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $1,539 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 198% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Al-`awabi is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$5.16 OMR 1.99

240.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$25.81 OMR 9.94

165.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$5.80 OMR 2.23

142.41%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.51 OMR 1.74

-38.36%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.82 OMR 0.32

241.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.27 OMR 0.10

662.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$10.56 OMR 4.07

-57.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$10.20 OMR 3.93

-54.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.96 OMR 0.76

-36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.23 OMR 0.47

65.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.73 OMR 0.67

10.98%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.45 OMR 0.94

35.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$3.89 OMR 1.50

373.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$5.13 OMR 1.97

84.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$8.75 OMR 3.37

118.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.51 OMR 0.97

5.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.65 OMR 0.64

48.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.83 OMR 0.70

15.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.18 OMR 0.45

141.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.94 OMR 0.36

117.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.99 OMR 0.38

86.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.09 OMR 0.42

34.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.57 OMR 0.22

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$6.46 OMR 2.49

10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$15.89 OMR 6.12

-50.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$4.21 OMR 1.62

-67.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$7.81 OMR 3.01

-70.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.08 OMR 1.19

49.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.81 OMR 0.31

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$10.22 OMR 3.94

185.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.59 OMR 0.23

211.86%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$23.3K OMR 8,983

67.21%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$21.9K OMR 8,429

49.35%

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

$188 €162

$109 OMR 41.99

72.22%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$41.34 OMR 15.91

-44.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$69.9 OMR 26.92

-47.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$10.37 OMR 3.99

7.91%

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

$721 €621

$190 OMR 73.2

279.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$9,996 OMR 3,849

50.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$49.36 OMR 19.00

74.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$39.09 OMR 15.05

-5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$79.7 OMR 30.67

28.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$90.2 OMR 34.74

28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.15

-34.17%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $26.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $232 – making Al-`awabi 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-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 198%, 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 $1,190 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,367 in Barcelona and $793 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $721 per month in Barcelona and $190 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – 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-`awabi. 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.