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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $860 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,419 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,978 in Alexandria.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 175% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Alexandria is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$9.00 RON 40.68

95.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$33.89 RON 153

101.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$6.84 RON 30.94

105.56%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$1.87 RON 8.44

48.66%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.94 RON 8.78

44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.64 RON 7.41

25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.24 RON 10.15

99.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$2.84 RON 12.83

62.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.34 RON 6.06

-7.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.27 RON 5.73

59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.41 RON 6.37

36.17%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.40 RON 6.31

136.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$5.34 RON 24.15

245.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.48 RON 20.26

111.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$8.59 RON 38.82

123.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.89 RON 4.03

196.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.51 RON 6.80

62.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.18 RON 5.31

79.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.12 RON 5.07

154.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.48 RON 2.18

325.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.71 RON 3.21

160.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.44 RON 2.01

234.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.72 RON 3.26

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$5.65 RON 25.53

26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$5.62 RON 25.41

40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.72 RON 3.24

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.91 RON 4.10

153.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.72 RON 3.27

313.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$23.07 RON 104

26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$0.47 RON 2.13

878.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.44 RON 1.97

370.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$5.20 RON 23.50

461.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.58 RON 7.16

16.46%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.1K RON 81.7K

115.85%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$23.9K RON 107.9K

37.01%

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

$188 €162

$115 RON 521

63.09%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$6.98 RON 31.55

228.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$6.86 RON 31.01

435.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$38.58 RON 174

48.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

$9.09 RON 41.07

127.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$4.66 RON 21.05

140.13%

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

$721 €620

$436 RON 1,971

65.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$6,987 RON 31.6K

115.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$67.6 RON 306

27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$34.95 RON 158

6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$69.3 RON 313

47.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$68.5 RON 310

69.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$349 RON 1,576

339.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$232 RON 1,047

426.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$802 RON 3,624

236.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$571 RON 2,580

252.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$1,357 RON 6,135

432.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$843 RON 3,811

515.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$1,332 RON 6,021

77.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $349 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 77% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $34.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $155 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 175% 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.

Barcelona pays 77% more on average, 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $349 in Alexandria. 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 $860 in Alexandria – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 27% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $860 in Alexandria versus $2,367 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 $860 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 175% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.