Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Algiers Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Algiers

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $598 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $999 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,399 in Algiers.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 315% more expensive than in Algiers, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Algiers is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$3.53 DZD 469

421.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$28.65 DZD 3,808

142.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$4.62 DZD 614

204.11%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$1.16 DZD 154

168.10%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.63 DZD 83.1

369.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.30 DZD 40.24

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$2.34 DZD 311

70.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.99

$2.33 DZD 310

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.91 DZD 121

45.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.16 DZD 20.91

1218.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.20 DZD 160

52.50%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$1.40 DZD 186

268.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.15

$8.15 DZD 1,083

115.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.20

$4.01 DZD 533

136.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.19

$14.75 DZD 1,960

35.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.20 DZD 293

44.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.85 DZD 379

-22.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.12 DZD 149

133.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.95 DZD 127

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$0.63 DZD 84.0

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.51 DZD 67.5

313.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.84 DZD 111

92.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.28 DZD 37.28

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$3.18 DZD 422

125.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$7.06 DZD 938

17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.33 DZD 177

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.97 DZD 262

39.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.71

$0.38 DZD 50.9

726.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.64

$7.08 DZD 940

270.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$0.55 DZD 73.3

485.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.45 DZD 59.4

235.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.40

$5.69 DZD 756

519.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.35 DZD 46.00

400.00%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

2.00%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

-11.80%

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

$187 €161

$45.12 DZD 5,996

314.72%

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

$15.10 €13.02

$10.91 DZD 1,450

38.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.42

$12.93 DZD 1,718

190.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.85

$26.24 DZD 3,487

111.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

$28.34 DZD 3,766

-40.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.10

$4.67 DZD 621

150.75%

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

$1,011 €872

$570 DZD 75.7K

77.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$6,496 DZD 863.2K

162.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$33.79 DZD 4,490

170.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.35

$35.54 DZD 4,723

15.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

$72.9 DZD 9,688

51.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$82.3 DZD 10.9K

53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$171 DZD 22.8K

894.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,121

$135 DZD 17.9K

863.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,232

$459 DZD 61.0K

463.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$251 DZD 33.3K

669.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,667

$2,552 DZD 339.2K

202.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,643

$1,408 DZD 187.1K

282.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,047

$337 DZD 44.8K

604.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.3

-40.38%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Algiers: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $171 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 604% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $29.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $182 per month, with Algiers 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 Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 315% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 604% 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $171 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $598 in Algiers – a 315% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $598 in Algiers versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Algiers 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 Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 315% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.