Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ankang Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ankang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $658 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,041 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $1,424 in Ankang, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 259% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Ankang is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.25

$2.84 ¥19.20

519.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.4

$18.21 ¥123

275.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.19

$5.52 ¥37.36

154.71%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.24 ¥15.17

24.11%

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

$2.80 €2.43

$0.42 ¥2.87

566.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.79

$0.28 ¥1.90

635.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.87

$1.08 ¥7.29

312.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$1.72 ¥11.64

168.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.55 ¥10.47

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.76

$1.57 ¥10.63

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$0.85 ¥5.76

125.88%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.87

$1.61 ¥10.88

105.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.99

$7.13 ¥48.25

158.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$2.06 ¥13.93

360.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.62

$8.85 ¥59.8

116.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.29

$1.58 ¥10.72

67.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.14 ¥7.69

114.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.33 ¥8.99

59.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$0.76 ¥5.15

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.70 ¥4.74

191.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.60 ¥4.06

208.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.54 ¥3.67

172.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 ¥3.79

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.20

$2.78 ¥18.78

156.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.84

$7.59 ¥51.4

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$0.77 ¥5.19

79.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.70 ¥11.53

35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.59

$0.29 ¥1.97

927.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.38

$16.74 ¥113

74.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.99

$1.40 ¥9.45

228.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.36 ¥2.41

475.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.31

$4.13 ¥27.96

606.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.19 ¥8.05

54.62%

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

$39.0K €33.8K

$20.9K ¥141.4K

86.59%

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

$32.7K €28.4K

$16.5K ¥111.5K

98.46%

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

$188 €163

$46.38 ¥314

304.96%

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

$22.93 €19.90

$3.10 ¥20.95

639.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.85

$12.11 ¥81.9

203.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.77

$41.20 ¥279

39.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.95

$14.10 ¥95.4

46.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.71

$4.95 ¥33.47

126.06%

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

$721 €625

$340 ¥2,303

111.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.1K

$17.9K ¥120.8K

-15.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.8

$54.6 ¥369

57.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €32.16

$36.64 ¥248

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$69.1 ¥467

47.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$71.6 ¥485

61.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,330

$279 ¥1,885

450.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,059

$190 ¥1,284

542.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,338

$594 ¥4,017

353.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,746

$356 ¥2,407

465.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,264

$3,246 ¥22.0K

122.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,501

$1,757 ¥11.9K

195.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,047

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.32

-21.53%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ankang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $279 in Ankang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $18.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $158 – making Ankang 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 Ankang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 259%, 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 $988 in Ankang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 75% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $721 per month in Barcelona and $340 in Ankang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ankang, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Ankang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ankang – 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 Ankang. 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.