Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Anshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Anshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $562 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $883 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,205 in Anshan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 321% more expensive than Anshan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Anshan is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$3.55 ¥24.02

395.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$17.30 ¥117

295.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$4.27 ¥28.88

229.27%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.81 ¥19.02

-1.07%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.32 ¥2.20

775.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.22 ¥1.49

836.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.68 ¥4.58

555.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$1.55 ¥10.52

197.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.59 ¥10.77

-22.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.15 ¥7.80

76.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.37 ¥2.48

418.92%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.03 ¥13.71

63.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$8.23 ¥55.7

123.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$1.62 ¥11.00

485.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$8.24 ¥55.8

132.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.98 ¥6.66

169.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.10 ¥7.44

122.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.08 ¥7.33

96.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.72 ¥4.85

295.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.27 ¥1.82

655.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.77 ¥5.22

140.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.60 ¥4.03

145.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.43 ¥2.94

95.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$3.51 ¥23.73

103.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$11.40 ¥77.2

-30.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.67 ¥4.52

105.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.36 ¥9.23

69.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.27 ¥1.82

1003.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$16.69 ¥113

75.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$0.93 ¥6.26

394.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.33 ¥2.22

527.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$3.99 ¥26.99

631.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.03 ¥6.96

78.64%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.1K ¥122.4K

115.82%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$13.9K ¥93.8K

136.04%

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

$188 €162

$27.67 ¥187

578.79%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$6.90 ¥46.72

232.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$11.30 ¥76.5

224.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$27.61 ¥187

107.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$13.69 ¥92.7

51.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$5.69 ¥38.51

96.66%

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

$721 €621

$207 ¥1,403

247.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$9,333 ¥63.2K

61.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$34.30 ¥232

151.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$34.89 ¥236

6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$84.9 ¥575

20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$69.0 ¥467

67.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$139 ¥941

1002.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$114 ¥768

974.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$275 ¥1,858

881.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$205 ¥1,391

879.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$2,785 ¥18.8K

159.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$1,790 ¥12.1K

189.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$940 ¥6,365

150.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

69.50%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Anshan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $139 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $153 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

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 Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 321% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barcelona pays 151% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $139 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $562 in Anshan – a 321% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $562 in Anshan versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anshan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Anshan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 321% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.