Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-birah Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al-birah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $1,121 in Al-birah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,935 in Al-birah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $2,749 in Al-birah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 111% more than Al-birah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Al-birah is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$9.56 ₪27.44

83.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$41.99 ₪121

62.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$11.25 ₪32.29

24.98%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$3.62 ₪10.40

-23.20%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.74 ₪2.13

278.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.61 ₪1.75

237.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.47 ₪15.71

-18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$5.60 ₪16.06

-17.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.93 ₪5.54

-35.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$0.54 ₪1.54

275.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.50 ₪7.19

-23.20%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.19 ₪6.29

51.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$6.03 ₪17.32

205.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$6.43 ₪18.47

47.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$15.20 ₪43.64

26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.54 ₪7.29

3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.43 ₪4.10

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.39 ₪3.98

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.98 ₪5.69

43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.10 ₪3.14

85.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.37 ₪3.95

35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.44 ₪4.13

2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.85 ₪2.44

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$7.57 ₪21.72

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.79 ₪8.02

-50.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.42 ₪6.95

-4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.96 ₪2.76

210.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$59.0 ₪169

-50.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.85 ₪8.19

61.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.29 ₪3.69

60.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$14.04 ₪40.31

107.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.01 ₪5.77

-8.46%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$36.4K ₪104.4K

7.28%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$44.7K ₪128.3K

-26.81%

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

$188 €162

$84.9 ₪244

121.28%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$19.01 ₪54.6

20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$47.41 ₪136

-22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$55.8 ₪160

2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$28.68 ₪82.3

-27.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$8.34 ₪23.95

34.17%

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

$721 €621

$216 ₪619

234.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$3,780 ₪10.9K

298.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$41.86 ₪120

105.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$38.54 ₪111

-3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$56.4 ₪162

80.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$41.96 ₪120

176.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$352 ₪1,011

335.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$327 ₪940

272.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$858 ₪2,462

214.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$945 ₪2,714

112.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.62

-39.68%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-birah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $352 in Al-birah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $42.00 in Al-birah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $217 – making Al-birah 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-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona, $1,121 in Al-birah – roughly 111% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $1,681 in Al-birah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $42.00 in Al-birah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-birah, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Al-birah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,121 in Al-birah to $2,367 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-birah. 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.