Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $1,057 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,648 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $2,238 in Almaty, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 124% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Almaty is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.26

$8.03 ₸3,900

118.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.4

$38.47 ₸18.7K

77.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.20

$6.97 ₸3,386

101.72%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.40 ₸1,164

15.83%

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

$2.80 €2.43

$0.98 ₸474

185.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.79

$0.57 ₸275

261.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.87

$1.40 ₸681

218.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$2.99 ₸1,451

54.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.31 ₸639

-5.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.76

$0.60 ₸290

238.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.54 ₸749

24.68%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.87

$1.74 ₸844

90.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.99

$9.74 ₸4,731

89.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$4.70 ₸2,281

101.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.62

$7.50 ₸3,646

155.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.29

$1.35 ₸655

95.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.98 ₸961

23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.95 ₸949

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$2.07 ₸1,005

37.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.63 ₸306

223.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.42 ₸205

340.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.24 ₸603

18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.71 ₸343

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.20

$1.97 ₸957

262.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.84

$10.09 ₸4,903

-21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$0.88 ₸429

56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.04 ₸991

13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.59

$0.24 ₸117

1141.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.39

$17.76 ₸8,625

64.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.99

$1.16 ₸562

296.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.70 ₸340

195.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.32

$4.80 ₸2,334

507.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.49 ₸237

275.51%

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

$39.0K €33.8K

$23.2K ₸11.3M

68.10%

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

$32.7K €28.4K

$27.2K ₸13.2M

20.02%

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

$188 €163

$63.8 ₸31.0K

194.25%

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

$22.93 €19.90

$8.60 ₸4,176

166.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.85

$13.83 ₸6,718

165.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.78

$48.67 ₸23.6K

17.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.96

$21.24 ₸10.3K

-2.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.71

$5.11 ₸2,483

118.98%

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

$721 €625

$267 ₸129.6K

170.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.1K

$12.9K ₸6.2M

16.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.8

$84.0 ₸40.8K

2.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €32.16

$43.48 ₸21.1K

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$96.8 ₸47.0K

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$119 ₸58.0K

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,331

$665 ₸323.1K

130.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,059

$420 ₸203.9K

190.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,339

$1,175 ₸570.8K

129.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,747

$773 ₸375.6K

160.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,264

$2,143 ₸1.0M

237.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,502

$1,254 ₸609.2K

313.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,047

$789 ₸383.5K

198.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

18.39

-81.57%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $665 in Almaty. 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 199% 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 $38.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $189 – making Almaty 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 Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 124%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $1,586 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $38.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,367 in Barcelona and $1,057 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Almaty. 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.