Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alfenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alfenas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $663 in Alfenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,186 in Alfenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $1,708 in Alfenas, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 256% more than Alfenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Alfenas is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$3.55 R$18.01

383.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$26.51 R$135

156.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$5.33 R$27.02

155.91%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$0.92 R$4.68

202.17%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.52 R$2.62

442.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.56 R$2.82

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$2.14 R$10.84

107.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.76 R$14.01

67.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.07 R$5.41

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.85 R$9.36

15.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.29 R$6.56

54.26%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.47 R$12.56

36.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$11.24 R$57.0

68.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$4.19 R$21.24

127.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$8.98 R$45.59

108.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.76 R$14.01

-3.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.83 R$9.29

28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.62 R$8.23

29.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.83 R$9.27

49.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.40 R$7.10

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.29 R$6.55

40.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.99 R$5.02

52.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.73 R$3.68

21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$1.77 R$8.98

283.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$9.73 R$49.36

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.36 R$6.91

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.29 R$11.64

4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.91 R$4.64

219.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$39.26 R$199

-27.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.07 R$5.43

328.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.75 R$3.83

172.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$8.95 R$45.43

220.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.10 R$5.60

65.45%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$21.9K R$110.9K

79.84%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$26.9K R$136.7K

20.53%

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

$187 €162

$54.9 R$278

240.26%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$13.02 R$66.1

71.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$18.32 R$93.0

98.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$22.87 R$116

151.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$21.51 R$109

-3.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$6.27 R$31.79

71.77%

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

$725 €628

$487 R$2,473

48.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$15.3K R$77.6K

-0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$51.7 R$262

70.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$42.13 R$214

-12.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$79.4 R$403

30.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$74.5 R$378

59.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$313 R$1,588

386.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$91.0 R$462

1248.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$580 R$2,942

370.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$423 R$2,144

369.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$1,743 R$8,843

328.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$1,181 R$5,995

343.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$484 R$2,454

394.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

11.56

-70.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Alfenas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $313 in Alfenas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 395% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $27.00 in Alfenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $217 – making Alfenas 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 Alfenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona, $663 in Alfenas – roughly 256% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $995 in Alfenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 47% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $27.00 in Alfenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Alfenas 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 $663 in Alfenas to $2,359 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 Alfenas. 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.