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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Barcelona vs $1,056 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,458 per month in Barcelona vs $1,678 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,601 per month in Barcelona vs $2,301 in Almaty, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 119% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 73% above the global median, while Almaty is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €15.06

$7.98 ₸3,732

115.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €62.0

$38.49 ₸18.0K

83.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.29

$6.74 ₸3,151

108.01%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.44

$2.41 ₸1,126

15.35%

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

$2.78 €2.44

$0.97 ₸453

186.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.79

$0.56 ₸262

266.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 €3.96

$1.34 ₸625

237.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.09

$2.96 ₸1,385

57.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.31 ₸613

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$0.60 ₸279

256.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.54 ₸718

25.32%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.73 ₸810

101.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 €16.23

$9.28 ₸4,337

99.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.35

$4.66 ₸2,177

104.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.56

$7.82 ₸3,655

141.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.30

$1.34 ₸627

95.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

$1.87 ₸876

25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.88 ₸880

10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.50

$2.08 ₸972

37.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.59 ₸275

232.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.40 ₸187

362.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.23 ₸577

24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$0.71 ₸330

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 €5.93

$1.97 ₸920

243.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.82

$10.79 ₸5,043

-27.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.89 ₸418

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.04

$2.14 ₸998

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 €2.62

$0.24 ₸112

1150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 €25.08

$17.74 ₸8,293

61.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.01

$1.15 ₸536

298.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.70 ₸328

204.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.89

$4.70 ₸2,199

528.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.57

$0.48 ₸223

275.00%

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

$38.5K €33.7K

$23.2K ₸10.8M

65.67%

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

$33.3K €29.1K

$27.3K ₸12.8M

21.81%

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

$185 €162

$62.3 ₸29.1K

196.84%

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

$22.68 €19.87

$8.94 ₸4,179

153.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 €32.22

$13.69 ₸6,398

168.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 €50.6

$48.48 ₸22.7K

19.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 €18.57

$21.89 ₸10.2K

-3.20%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 €9.49

$5.10 ₸2,383

112.35%

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

$727 €637

$267 ₸125.0K

171.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.9K

$12.9K ₸6.0M

14.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €76.7

$84.1 ₸39.3K

4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 €32.74

$44.36 ₸20.7K

-15.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.5

$99.2 ₸46.4K

4.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$118 ₸55.1K

0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,367

$663 ₸309.8K

135.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 €1,070

$421 ₸196.7K

190.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 €2,402

$1,160 ₸542.3K

136.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,745

$763 ₸356.5K

161.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,489 €6,562

$2,421 ₸1.1M

209.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,207 €4,562

$1,409 ₸658.6K

269.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,355 €2,063

$810 ₸378.7K

190.57%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Almaty: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,560 in Barcelona versus $663 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 191% 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 $71.0 in Barcelona versus $38.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 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 119%, 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 $3,474 per month in Barcelona and $1,583 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 $71.0 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 $2,316 in Barcelona and $1,056 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 $1,056, than in Barcelona at $2,316. 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.