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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $667 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,063 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,460 in Al Kufah.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 254% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Al Kufah is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$5.30 IQD 6,938

223.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

87.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$7.45 IQD 9,759

83.09%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.96 IQD 3,871

-6.08%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.36 IQD 476

683.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.19 IQD 244

931.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$3.50 IQD 4,580

26.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.88 IQD 3,773

60.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.12 IQD 1,470

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.61 IQD 801

249.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.60 IQD 2,096

24.37%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.75 IQD 2,290

92.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$2.30 IQD 3,017

724.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$2.96 IQD 3,882

221.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$10.08 IQD 13.2K

85.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$0.48 IQD 632

452.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$0.94 IQD 1,226

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.68 IQD 885

207.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.50 IQD 655

446.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.37 IQD 488

429.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.31 IQD 402

483.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.63 IQD 829

139.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.45 IQD 589

97.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$1.98 IQD 2,588

242.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.12 IQD 2,772

13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.38 IQD 495

665.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-6.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$2.25 IQD 2,941

103.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.49 IQD 1,949

36.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

268.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.50 IQD 661

264.00%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

94.57%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

64.88%

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

$187 €162

$40.44 IQD 52.9K

361.50%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$26.03 IQD 34.1K

-14.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

55.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$25.75 IQD 33.7K

123.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

21.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$7.49 IQD 9,804

43.79%

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

$725 €628

$86.2 IQD 112.9K

740.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$2,396 IQD 3.1M

532.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

316.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$29.78 IQD 39.0K

23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

427.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

336.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$214 IQD 280.1K

612.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$176 IQD 230.6K

596.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$423 IQD 553.3K

545.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$295 IQD 385.7K

573.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$1,317 IQD 1.7M

467.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$383 IQD 502.0K

1267.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,031 IQD 1.3M

132.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $214 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $147 per month, with Al Kufah cheaper across the board.

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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 254% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $214 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,359 per month in Barcelona versus $667 in Al Kufah – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Al Kufah versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah 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 Kufah 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 Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.