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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Barcelona vs $1,708 in Ancona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,462 per month in Barcelona vs $2,580 in Ancona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Barcelona vs $3,451 in Ancona, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 37% more than Ancona, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Barcelona and Ancona sit above the global median – Barcelona by 75%, Ancona by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$19.31 €16.53

-8.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$81.3 €69.6

-15.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$11.41 €9.77

20.51%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.07 €1.77

33.33%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$2.69 €2.30

3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.43 €1.22

43.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$5.91 €5.06

-22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$5.96 €5.10

-22.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.18 €1.01

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.45 €2.10

-13.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.20 €1.88

-10.45%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.89 €2.48

19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$15.69 €13.43

20.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$11.21 €9.59

-15.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$21.74 €18.61

-12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.41 €2.06

12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.56 €1.33

51.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.56 €2.20

-18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$3.06 €2.62

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.61 €1.38

22.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.73 €1.48

3.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.52 €0.44

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$7.11 €6.09

-4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$5.90 €5.05

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.61 €1.38

-10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.19 €1.87

10.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.70 €1.45

78.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$39.84 €34.10

-28.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$5.65 €4.84

-21.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.57 €1.35

30.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$29.40 €25.17

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.02 €1.73

-6.44%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$27.6K €23.6K

40.39%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$27.3K €23.4K

18.33%

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

$189 €161

$284 €243

-33.50%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$14.71 €12.59

50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$37.18 €31.83

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$66.1 €56.6

-12.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$20.07 €17.18

4.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$11.64 €9.96

-5.07%

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

$726 €622

$296 €253

145.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$7,953 €6,808

91.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$89.2 €76.4

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$32.69 €27.98

13.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$91.4 €78.2

12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$600 €514

154.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$477 €408

155.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$941 €806

196.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$709 €607

185.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$3,283 €2,810

116.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$2,061 €1,765

135.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,795 €1,536

33.94%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ancona: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Barcelona versus $600 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 34% 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 $81.0 in Ancona. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Barcelona vs $317 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 37%, 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 $3,512 per month in Barcelona and $2,563 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 40% less in Ancona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $726 per month in Barcelona and $296 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 $1,708, than in Barcelona at $2,341. 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.