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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,181 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,596 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 209% more expensive than Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Al-Rumaitha is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$4.07 IQD 5,331

331.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$24.66 IQD 32.3K

177.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$6.94 IQD 9,087

102.59%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.57 IQD 3,369

8.17%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.39 IQD 516

617.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.16 IQD 216

1187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.86 IQD 3,743

55.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.95 IQD 3,870

56.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.33 IQD 1,736

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$0.85 IQD 1,112

138.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.57 IQD 2,060

22.29%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.78 IQD 2,329

85.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$4.38 IQD 5,741

320.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$4.73 IQD 6,192

100.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$12.99 IQD 17.0K

47.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.20 IQD 1,577

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.15 IQD 1,500

113.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.06 IQD 1,383

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.70 IQD 919

307.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.70 IQD 920

191.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.63 IQD 830

193.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.64 IQD 835

129.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.55 IQD 722

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$1.94 IQD 2,546

268.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.84 IQD 2,414

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.14 IQD 2,806

7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.37 IQD 483

705.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$31.62 IQD 41.4K

-7.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.34 IQD 3,070

96.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.48 IQD 1,935

39.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$6.14 IQD 8,044

375.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.54 IQD 703

240.74%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

107.96%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

63.74%

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

$188 €162

$76.9 IQD 100.7K

144.27%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$17.44 IQD 22.8K

31.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$34.89 IQD 45.7K

5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$36.96 IQD 48.4K

55.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

46.47%

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

$721 €621

$150 IQD 196.0K

381.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$3,219 IQD 4.2M

367.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$27.34 IQD 35.8K

215.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

44.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$62.5 IQD 81.9K

63.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

185.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$244 IQD 319.4K

528.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$176 IQD 230.0K

594.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$570 IQD 746.9K

372.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$343 IQD 449.5K

486.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $184 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 209% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $1,150 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha – a 209% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 8% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $766 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,367 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 209% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.