Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,380 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,924 in Alexandria.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 177% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Alexandria is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$9.29 RON 42.66

90.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$34.04 RON 156

104.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$7.11 RON 32.63

99.16%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.88 RON 8.65

48.94%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.99 RON 9.12

41.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.64 RON 7.54

25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.36 RON 10.82

94.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.73 RON 12.53

71.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.42 RON 6.50

-13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.26 RON 5.77

61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.35 RON 6.19

46.67%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.36 RON 6.27

156.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$5.22 RON 23.95

251.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.65 RON 21.34

111.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$8.97 RON 41.18

113.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$0.94 RON 4.32

190.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.52 RON 6.95

56.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.18 RON 5.43

76.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.13 RON 5.18

143.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.44 RON 2.04

345.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.67 RON 3.07

167.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.44 RON 2.02

236.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.72 RON 3.32

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$5.50 RON 25.24

29.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$5.41 RON 24.85

45.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.67 RON 3.06

105.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$0.95 RON 4.35

151.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.71 RON 3.28

323.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$23.48 RON 108

25.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.48 RON 2.20

808.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.44 RON 2.01

384.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$4.99 RON 22.89

493.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.59 RON 7.32

14.47%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$18.1K RON 82.9K

109.70%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$24.0K RON 110.4K

34.65%

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

$189 €166

$118 RON 540

60.55%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$7.11 RON 32.62

213.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$6.89 RON 31.62

439.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$38.29 RON 176

51.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$9.04 RON 41.48

128.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$4.74 RON 21.76

129.32%

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

$706 €618

$431 RON 1,980

63.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$7,025 RON 32.2K

111.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$69.6 RON 320

28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$34.98 RON 161

4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$68.4 RON 314

52.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$69.4 RON 318

72.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$342 RON 1,571

361.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$231 RON 1,059

436.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$798 RON 3,662

239.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$571 RON 2,620

257.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,329 RON 6,099

466.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$811 RON 3,725

545.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$861 RON 3,955

174.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.5

-47.85%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $342 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 174% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $34.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $157 per month, with Alexandria 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 Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 177% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $342 in Alexandria. 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 $836 in Alexandria – a 177% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 25% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.