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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $714 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,063 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,412 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 227% more expensive than Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Al-mawsil is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$7.48 IQD 9,795

128.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$12.45 IQD 16.3K

456.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$5.61 IQD 7,350

145.63%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$0.74 IQD 965

272.97%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.36 IQD 473

675.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.18 IQD 229

1005.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$0.98 IQD 1,288

344.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$1.55 IQD 2,025

205.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.92 IQD 1,206

40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.73 IQD 959

180.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.10 IQD 1,441

80.91%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.90 IQD 2,482

78.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$7.24 IQD 9,476

159.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$3.27 IQD 4,287

186.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.26 IQD 9,502

163.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$0.90 IQD 1,177

200.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.87 IQD 1,136

168.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.80 IQD 1,049

165.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.36 IQD 476

691.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.38 IQD 498

418.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.46 IQD 602

291.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.52 IQD 685

178.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.49 IQD 647

75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.02 IQD 2,642

235.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.38 IQD 1,804

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.94 IQD 2,536

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.39 IQD 514

648.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-6.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.19 IQD 2,867

103.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.02 IQD 2,639

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$3.26 IQD 4,266

806.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.35 IQD 458

420.00%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

154.18%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$17.6K IQD 23.0M

88.58%

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

$189 €163

$102 IQD 134.1K

84.81%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

28.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

39.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$24.44 IQD 32.0K

136.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

10.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$11.16 IQD 14.6K

-3.05%

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

$728 €628

$204 IQD 267.1K

257.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$681 IQD 891.8K

2069.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$13.92 IQD 18.2K

536.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$17.64 IQD 23.1K

108.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$83.6 IQD 109.5K

22.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

513.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$245 IQD 320.9K

540.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$180 IQD 236.1K

575.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$574 IQD 752.2K

386.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$346 IQD 453.1K

470.90%

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

$621 IQD 813.8K

277.07%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $245 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 277% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $148 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 227% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barcelona pays 277% more on average, 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $245 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $204 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $714 in Al-mawsil versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 227% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.