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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,408 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,406 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,404 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 66% more expensive than Al-jahra', driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Al-jahra' 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$10.06 KWD 3.09

69.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$80.4 KWD 24.70

-13.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.79 KWD 2.70

56.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$6.05 KWD 1.86

-54.38%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.66 KWD 0.20

322.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.35 KWD 0.11

468.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.31 KWD 0.40

56.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.79 KWD 0.55

11.17%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.03 KWD 0.62

67.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$5.08 KWD 1.56

270.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$6.59 KWD 2.02

42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$10.32 KWD 3.17

85.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.36 KWD 0.72

14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.92 KWD 0.59

21.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.81 KWD 0.56

17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.50 KWD 0.46

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.27 KWD 0.39

55.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.31 KWD 0.40

37.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-12.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.46 KWD 0.14

86.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.89 KWD 0.89

134.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.90 KWD 0.28

224.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$44.87 KWD 13.78

-36.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.34 KWD 1.03

33.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$16.42 KWD 5.05

79.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.37 KWD 0.11

391.89%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$21.3K KWD 6,532

82.61%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$20.0K KWD 6,140

65.60%

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

$189 €163

$20.05 KWD 6.16

843.79%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$18.88 KWD 5.80

20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$25.64 KWD 7.88

46.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$193 KWD 59.2

-70.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$47.22 KWD 14.51

-56.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$11.56 KWD 3.55

-6.40%

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

$728 €628

$408 KWD 125

78.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$6,706 KWD 2,060

120.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$41.91 KWD 12.87

111.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$42.00 KWD 12.90

-12.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$87.2 KWD 26.79

17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$81.1 KWD 24.92

43.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$801 KWD 246

95.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$602 KWD 185

102.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,557 KWD 478

79.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,300 KWD 399

51.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$2,952 KWD 907

-20.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.14

-52.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $801 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $80.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $180, with Al-jahra' cheaper for home cooking.

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-jahra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-jahra' is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-jahra' earns 26% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $801 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $408 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in Al-jahra' versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-jahra' but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al-jahra' the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-jahra' is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Al-jahra' 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-jahra' gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.