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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,399 per month in Barcelona vs $1,699 in Ancona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,496 per month in Barcelona vs $2,574 in Ancona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,592 per month in Barcelona vs $3,449 in Ancona, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 41% more than Ancona, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Barcelona and Ancona sit above the global median – Barcelona by 80%, Ancona by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$19.27 €16.60

-8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$80.6 €69.4

-13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$11.79 €10.15

15.86%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$2.10 €1.81

30.48%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.74 €2.36

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.42 €1.22

38.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$5.78 €4.98

-24.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$5.88 €5.07

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.20 €1.03

7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.44 €2.10

-15.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.12 €1.82

-6.60%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$3.01 €2.60

12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$15.83 €13.63

17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$10.96 €9.44

-12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$22.00 €18.95

-14.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.43 €2.09

13.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.59 €1.37

55.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.50 €2.15

-16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.99 €2.58

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.58 €1.36

27.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.74 €1.49

6.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.46 €1.26

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.48 €0.41

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$7.11 €6.12

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$5.66 €4.87

40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.67 €1.44

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.09 €1.80

9.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.77 €1.53

62.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$40.77 €35.11

-30.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$5.64 €4.86

-22.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.59 €1.37

34.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$29.09 €25.05

0.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.99 €1.72

-6.53%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$26.8K €23.1K

45.55%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$26.8K €23.1K

22.04%

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

$189 €163

$290 €250

-34.82%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$14.59 €12.56

55.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$36.79 €31.68

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$66.2 €57.0

-12.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$19.90 €17.14

7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$11.66 €10.04

-7.29%

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

$726 €625

$300 €258

142.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$8,017 €6,903

88.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$89.0 €76.7

-1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$32.52 €28.00

13.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$91.9 €79.1

12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$119 €102

-1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$606 €522

159.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$486 €419

150.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$937 €807

189.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$692 €596

184.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$3,145 €2,708

148.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$2,029 €1,747

159.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$1,739 €1,498

36.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.9

-13.08%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ancona: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Barcelona versus $606 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 37% 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 $81.0 in Ancona. Groceries tell a different story – $321 in Barcelona vs $315 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,599 per month in Barcelona and $2,548 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 44% less in Ancona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $726 per month in Barcelona and $300 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 $1,699, than in Barcelona at $2,399. 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.