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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 199% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Al-Rumaitha is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$4.00 IQD 5,239

341.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

177.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$6.71 IQD 8,785

111.03%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.60 IQD 3,408

7.69%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.39 IQD 515

620.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.20 IQD 265

930.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$2.86 IQD 3,745

60.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$2.91 IQD 3,809

61.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.33 IQD 1,738

-7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.79 IQD 1,031

156.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.66 IQD 2,168

19.28%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.74 IQD 2,274

100.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$4.37 IQD 5,727

319.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$4.61 IQD 6,039

113.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

43.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.20 IQD 1,570

127.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.15 IQD 1,507

106.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.02 IQD 1,330

103.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.74 IQD 964

271.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.65 IQD 845

201.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.67 IQD 872

167.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.62 IQD 813

138.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.55 IQD 722

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$1.89 IQD 2,479

277.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

-38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.85 IQD 2,421

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.08 IQD 2,727

14.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.36 IQD 478

736.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

-6.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.33 IQD 3,054

87.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.49 IQD 1,957

42.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$5.92 IQD 7,756

400.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.57 IQD 751

219.30%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

97.03%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

65.23%

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

$189 €165

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

141.97%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

27.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

7.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

57.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$7.63 IQD 9,995

42.46%

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

$706 €618

$153 IQD 200.1K

362.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

346.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

233.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

46.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

67.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

195.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$239 IQD 313.3K

559.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$179 IQD 234.9K

590.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$584 IQD 764.6K

364.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$338 IQD 442.7K

503.24%

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

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $183 per month, with Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,480 in Barcelona and $1,165 in Al-Rumaitha 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 7% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.