Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alges Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alges

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $2,087 in Alges, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $2,905 in Alges, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $3,722 in Alges, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 11% more than Alges, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Alges sit above the global median – Barcelona by 74%, Alges by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$13.86 €12.14

27.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$53.0 €46.43

31.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$9.25 €8.10

53.08%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.99 €2.62

-6.35%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.15 €1.88

30.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.26 €1.98

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.27 €1.99

102.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$3.41 €2.98

37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.07 €0.94

14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.95 €1.70

4.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.32 €2.03

-14.66%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.37 €2.95

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$11.27 €9.87

62.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$7.62 €6.67

29.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$14.16 €12.40

35.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.70 €2.37

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.46 €1.28

63.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.75 €1.53

18.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.03 €2.65

-9.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.50 €1.31

30.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.28 €2.00

-21.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.92 €0.80

60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.84 €0.73

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$6.01 €5.26

18.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$5.04 €4.41

56.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.27 €1.12

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.22 €2.82

-25.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$2.25 €1.97

33.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$45.47 €39.82

-35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$4.55 €3.99

-4.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.86 €0.76

147.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$17.53 €15.35

68.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.95 €1.71

-6.67%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$34.5K €30.2K

9.91%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$40.1K €35.2K

-19.33%

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

$189 €166

$169 €148

11.71%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$23.25 €20.36

-4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$49.66 €43.49

-25.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$45.03 €39.44

28.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$9.39 €8.23

120.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$8.25 €7.23

31.76%

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

$706 €618

$742 €650

-4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,238 €7,215

80.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$85.1 €74.5

5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$35.08 €30.72

4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$93.5 €81.8

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$91.4 €80.1

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$1,282 €1,122

23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$1,113 €975

11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$2,134 €1,869

27.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$1,574 €1,378

29.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$3,174 €2,779

137.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$2,329 €2,040

124.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$1,265 €1,108

86.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.01

-32.34%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alges: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,282 in Alges. 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 87% 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $53.0 in Alges. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $257 – making Alges 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 Alges: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona, $2,087 in Alges – roughly 11% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $3,131 in Alges. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alges, 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 $742 in Alges. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alges, where all-in costs run around $2,087, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Alges it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alges has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,087 in Alges 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 Alges. 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.