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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $735 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,098 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,460 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 219% more expensive than Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Al-mawsil is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$7.50 IQD 9,825

134.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

461.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$5.65 IQD 7,402

143.36%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$0.73 IQD 959

278.08%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.36 IQD 478

672.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.18 IQD 235

1038.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$0.95 IQD 1,242

385.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$1.52 IQD 1,986

201.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.90 IQD 1,177

42.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.75 IQD 989

181.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.06 IQD 1,391

85.85%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.92 IQD 2,521

79.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$7.31 IQD 9,583

157.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$3.30 IQD 4,327

186.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$6.96 IQD 9,122

173.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$0.90 IQD 1,185

202.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.90 IQD 1,173

163.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$0.80 IQD 1,055

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.39 IQD 516

607.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.38 IQD 501

418.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.46 IQD 596

289.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.48 IQD 625

214.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.49 IQD 640

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$1.97 IQD 2,583

243.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

-39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.43 IQD 1,874

0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.93 IQD 2,532

24.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.36 IQD 476

741.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

-9.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.11 IQD 2,759

109.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.06 IQD 2,693

-0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$3.26 IQD 4,265

799.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.33 IQD 429

472.73%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$15.0K IQD 19.7M

157.75%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

80.30%

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

$189 €161

$100 IQD 131.3K

88.16%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$17.45 IQD 22.9K

27.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

38.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$23.52 IQD 30.8K

146.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$18.63 IQD 24.4K

12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$11.17 IQD 14.6K

-1.07%

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

$726 €622

$200 IQD 261.6K

263.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$699 IQD 916.2K

2077.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$14.26 IQD 18.7K

519.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$17.36 IQD 22.7K

113.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$83.7 IQD 109.6K

22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$19.20 IQD 25.2K

520.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$242 IQD 317.4K

530.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$176 IQD 230.0K

593.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$588 IQD 769.8K

375.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$348 IQD 455.7K

482.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$1,987 IQD 2.6M

257.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$1,490 IQD 2.0M

225.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$602 IQD 789.0K

299.22%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 299% 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 $320 vs $149 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 219% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barcelona pays 299% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $200 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 $735 in Al-mawsil versus $2,341 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 219% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.