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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $869 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,546 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,222 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 167% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Al Mukalla is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$16.60 YER 3,930

6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$37.53 YER 8,883

85.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$16.58 YER 3,924

-14.60%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$8.15 YER 1,929

-65.64%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$3.77 YER 891

-25.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.83 YER 197

148.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.78 YER 185

160.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$6.46 YER 1,528

-69.35%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$7.18 YER 1,700

-51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$14.54 YER 3,442

26.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$22.96 YER 5,434

-57.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$56.6 YER 13.4K

-66.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$12.91 YER 3,056

-78.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$4.70 YER 1,112

-49.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$4.86 YER 1,151

-57.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.25 YER 770

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$5.46 YER 1,292

-64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$4.14 YER 980

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$2.52 YER 596

-63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

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

$37.9K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €28.3K

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

$189 €165

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

$22.29 €19.50

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

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

$706 €618

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $38.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $574, 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 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,480 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 79% 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 $38.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Al Mukalla versus $2,320 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 167% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.