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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $1,194 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $1,841 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $2,489 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 94% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$6.62 SAR 24.88

166.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$44.37 SAR 167

57.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$7.75 SAR 29.11

82.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.64 SAR 13.67

-23.08%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.80 SAR 3.01

251.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.29 SAR 1.08

610.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-27.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.92 SAR 3.47

120.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-14.29%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.43 SAR 9.13

43.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$7.03 SAR 26.40

160.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$7.27 SAR 27.29

35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$12.88 SAR 48.37

48.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.16 SAR 8.13

26.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.65 SAR 6.19

44.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.75 SAR 6.59

18.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.61 SAR 6.06

70.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.24 SAR 4.67

58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.29 SAR 4.84

38.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.18 SAR 4.44

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.54 SAR 2.04

68.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$7.07 SAR 26.56

0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

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 €2.64

$1.09 SAR 4.08

176.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$40.36 SAR 152

-27.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.62 SAR 9.85

66.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.93 SAR 7.23

10.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$13.27 SAR 49.84

123.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.61 SAR 2.27

198.36%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$26.4K SAR 98.9K

43.79%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

44.67%

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

$189 €166

$107 SAR 400

77.48%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$33.61 SAR 126

-33.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$71.4 SAR 268

-47.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$86.6 SAR 325

-32.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$36.23 SAR 136

-42.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$15.59 SAR 58.5

-30.28%

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

$706 €618

$354 SAR 1,330

99.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

116.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$59.8 SAR 224

49.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$60.8 SAR 228

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$77.7 SAR 292

33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$82.5 SAR 310

44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$434 SAR 1,628

264.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$380 SAR 1,425

226.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$835 SAR 3,137

224.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$615 SAR 2,308

231.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$2,257 SAR 8,476

233.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,522 SAR 5,716

244.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.42

-23.30%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $434 in Al-Ula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Barcelona versus $44.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $195 – making Al-Ula the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona, $1,194 in Al-Ula – roughly 94% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $1,791 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Barcelona and $354 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,194, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,194 in Al-Ula to $2,320 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-Ula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.