Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al Ghubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Al Ghubra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $345 in Al Ghubra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $465 in Al Ghubra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $585 in Al Ghubra.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 586% more expensive than Al Ghubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Al Ghubra is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

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

$2.80 €2.41

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

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-33.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-9.43%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-36.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.12 OMR 0.82

24.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.87 OMR 0.72

31.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.85 OMR 0.71

14.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.31 OMR 0.51

117.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.68 OMR 0.26

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.68 OMR 0.26

172.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.50 OMR 0.19

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$188 €162

$113 OMR 43.36

66.76%

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

$22.93 €19.74

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$84.3 OMR 32.46

-56.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$43.59 OMR 16.78

31.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-43.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$9.02 OMR 3.47

24.06%

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

$721 €621

$185 OMR 71.1

290.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$10.6K OMR 4,066

42.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

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

$2,669 OMR 1,028

-11.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Al Ghubra differ by about 586% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $345 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Al Ghubra earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $185 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $345 in Al Ghubra – a 586% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $345 in Al Ghubra versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Al Ghubra 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 Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 586% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.