Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and AL Kharj Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and AL Kharj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $969 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,519 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $2,068 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 144% more than AL Kharj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while AL Kharj is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$6.47 SAR 24.27

171.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$26.35 SAR 98.9

159.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$7.97 SAR 29.91

76.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.48 SAR 9.31

12.10%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.75 SAR 2.83

273.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.13 SAR 0.47

1484.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-23.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.28 SAR 1.06

625.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-18.99%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.03 SAR 7.62

63.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$8.31 SAR 31.20

121.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.92 SAR 18.46

92.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$13.46 SAR 50.5

42.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.98 SAR 7.43

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.23 SAR 4.60

99.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$0.89 SAR 3.33

138.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.37 SAR 5.13

108.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.96 SAR 3.60

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.88 SAR 3.32

110.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.82 SAR 3.10

79.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 SAR 2.10

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$6.42 SAR 24.09

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

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 €2.56

$1.06 SAR 3.96

181.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$40.41 SAR 152

-27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$2.69 SAR 10.11

71.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.55 SAR 2.08

276.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$13.39 SAR 50.3

117.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.59 SAR 2.20

211.86%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$33.9K SAR 127.4K

14.92%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

40.80%

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

$188 €162

$106 SAR 398

77.06%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$26.15 SAR 98.2

-12.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$51.2 SAR 192

-28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$65.7 SAR 247

-12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

$40.52 SAR 152

-48.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-28.64%

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

$721 €620

$178 SAR 668

304.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$3,778 SAR 14.2K

298.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$59.6 SAR 224

44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$53.7 SAR 202

-31.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$53.3 SAR 200

91.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$78.6 SAR 295

47.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$637 SAR 2,391

140.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$229 SAR 861

432.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$488 SAR 1,833

452.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$501 SAR 1,879

302.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$2,845 SAR 10.7K

-17.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.31

-36.16%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for AL Kharj: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $637 in AL Kharj. 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 21% higher in AL Kharj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $26.00 in AL Kharj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $169 – making AL Kharj 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 Kharj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona, $969 in AL Kharj – roughly 144% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $1,454 in AL Kharj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $721 per month in Barcelona and $178 in AL Kharj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in AL Kharj, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In AL Kharj 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 $969 in AL Kharj 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 Kharj. 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.