Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ancona Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ancona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,434 per month in Barcelona vs $1,670 in Ancona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,473 per month in Barcelona vs $2,477 in Ancona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,512 per month in Barcelona vs $3,283 in Ancona, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 46% more than Ancona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Ancona sit above the global median – Barcelona by 78%, Ancona by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.80 €16.09

$17.56 €15.02

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.4

$80.0 €68.4

-13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$11.75 €10.05

19.83%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.66

$2.09 €1.78

49.28%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$2.73 €2.34

6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.60

$1.29 €1.10

44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.42

$5.70 €4.88

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €3.97

$5.81 €4.97

-20.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.24 €1.06

-4.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.82

$2.34 €2.00

-8.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$2.29 €1.96

-19.65%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.39

$2.96 €2.53

73.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 €14.02

$14.05 €12.02

16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 €8.31

$11.59 €9.91

-16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 €16.81

$17.70 €15.14

11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.68

$2.38 €2.04

31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.58 €1.36

37.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.50 €2.14

-1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.37

$2.96 €2.54

-6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.60 €1.37

32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$1.86 €1.59

19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.53 €1.31

-2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.40 €0.35

127.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 €6.21

$6.84 €5.85

6.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 €7.09

$5.63 €4.82

47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.67 €1.43

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.20 €1.88

21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 €2.63

$1.76 €1.51

74.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 €22.18

$41.22 €35.26

-37.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 €2.86

$5.81 €4.97

-42.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.70 €1.46

10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.98 €29.92

$28.45 €24.34

22.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.99 €1.71

-12.56%

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

$36.5K €31.2K

$33.0K €28.3K

10.56%

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

$31.5K €27.0K

$36.4K €31.1K

-13.34%

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

$183 €156

$286 €245

-36.13%

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

$15.70 €13.43

$14.42 €12.34

8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.73 €31.42

$36.67 €31.36

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 €45.76

$65.8 €56.3

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 €14.65

$20.10 €17.19

-14.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 €9.85

$11.50 €9.84

0.09%

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

$952 €815

$299 €256

218.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €70.5

$89.7 €76.7

-8.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 €34.62

$31.38 €26.84

28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.2

$91.4 €78.2

17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €107

$102 €87.1

23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 €1,426

$613 €524

171.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,101

$481 €412

167.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,663 €2,278

$951 €813

180.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,628

$695 €595

173.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,513 €6,427

$3,206 €2,743

134.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,178 €4,429

$2,107 €1,802

145.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,451 €2,096

$1,741 €1,489

40.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.12

4.00%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ancona: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Barcelona versus $613 in Ancona. 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 41% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $80.0 in Ancona. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Barcelona vs $300 in Ancona – so Ancona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ancona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,651 per month in Barcelona and $2,506 in Ancona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 59% less in Ancona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $952 per month in Barcelona and $299 in Ancona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ancona, where all-in costs run around $1,670, than in Barcelona at $2,434. In Ancona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ancona – 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 Ancona. 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.