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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $870 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,554 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,238 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 172% more expensive than Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Al Mukalla is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$16.72 YER 3,985

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$37.33 YER 8,895

83.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$16.27 YER 3,877

-13.58%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$8.09 YER 1,929

-65.64%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$3.77 YER 899

-25.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.78 YER 186

164.10%

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

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.86 YER 205

136.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$6.60 YER 1,572

-70.91%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$7.29 YER 1,738

-54.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$14.27 YER 3,401

29.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$23.34 YER 5,561

-59.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$58.5 YER 13.9K

-67.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$12.76 YER 3,042

-79.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.83 YER 1,151

-49.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$4.80 YER 1,144

-55.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.20 YER 764

-10.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$5.21 YER 1,243

-60.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$4.16 YER 990

-55.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.48 YER 591

-66.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$188 €162

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

$22.93 €19.73

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

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

$721 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $37.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $581, with Barcelona 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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $1,304 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 83% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Al Mukalla versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla 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 Mukalla 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 Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.