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: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $829 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $1,663 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $2,498 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 201% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Al Mukalla is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$16.67 YER 3,946

10.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$85.8 YER 20.3K

-19.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$8.53 YER 2,020

-63.31%

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

$3.02 €2.59

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.82 YER 195

139.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$10.65 YER 2,521

-53.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$14.47 YER 3,426

23.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$26.13 YER 6,184

-63.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$60.1 YER 14.2K

-67.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$14.94 YER 3,538

-78.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$6.17 YER 1,461

-64.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$5.09 YER 1,205

-47.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$3.39 YER 802

-18.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$7.55 YER 1,787

-70.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$4.17 YER 987

-47.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$2.49 YER 590

-63.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

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

$36.7K €31.5K

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

$30.9K €26.6K

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

$188 €161

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

$15.44 €13.27

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

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

$1,003 €862

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $86.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $607 per month, with Barcelona 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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,743 in Barcelona and $1,243 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 $86.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $829 in Al Mukalla versus $2,495 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 201% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.