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: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,237 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,087 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 540% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Al-Rumaitha is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.22

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.1

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.92

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.68

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

$2.83 €2.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.78 IQD 1,026

125.64%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.44

$1.88 IQD 2,464

172.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.48

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.36

$1.86 IQD 2,426

418.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.44

$10.58 IQD 13.8K

90.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.82

$0.78 IQD 1,019

316.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.93

$0.74 IQD 963

201.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$0.73 IQD 956

256.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.39

$0.36 IQD 476

666.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$0.37 IQD 479

497.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.39 IQD 510

443.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.34

$0.39 IQD 512

297.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.40 IQD 520

137.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.36

$1.50 IQD 1,960

389.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €6.97

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

-39.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.50 IQD 1,968

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.42

$2.27 IQD 2,967

22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.69

$0.39 IQD 511

697.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.39

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.83

$2.22 IQD 2,907

47.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.74 IQD 964

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.67

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

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

$36.4K €31.5K

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

$30.5K €26.4K

$9,177 IQD 12.0M

232.83%

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

$187 €162

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

$15.14 €13.11

$76.9 IQD 100.6K

-80.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.62

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.43

$26.69 IQD 34.9K

109.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.79

$3.72 IQD 4,871

359.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.88

$11.58 IQD 15.1K

-1.47%

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

$997 €863

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.2

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

720.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.69

$15.43 IQD 20.2K

167.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €108

$23.27 IQD 30.4K

437.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,478

$152 IQD 199.4K

1019.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,113

$114 IQD 148.7K

1031.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,221

$230 IQD 300.8K

1015.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,681

$1,541 IQD 2.0M

26.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,620

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,473

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,033

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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, Getting Around. The 540% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,714 in Barcelona and $580 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 201% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha – a 540% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,476 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 540% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.