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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $545 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $879 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,212 in Anshan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 326% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Anshan is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$3.53 ¥23.88

400.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$17.35 ¥117

301.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$4.11 ¥27.75

244.53%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.91 ¥19.65

-3.78%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.30 ¥2.00

836.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.22 ¥1.49

836.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$0.73 ¥4.94

530.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$1.50 ¥10.11

212.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.59 ¥10.77

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.17 ¥7.88

73.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.34 ¥2.29

482.35%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.94 ¥13.13

79.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$8.29 ¥56.0

121.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$1.64 ¥11.11

499.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$8.43 ¥56.9

126.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.00 ¥6.74

173.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.10 ¥7.40

116.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.08 ¥7.31

92.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.70 ¥4.76

292.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.27 ¥1.80

625.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.77 ¥5.18

132.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.60 ¥4.04

146.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.44 ¥2.94

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.40 ¥22.95

109.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$7.45 ¥50.3

5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.73 ¥4.94

89.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.41 ¥9.54

69.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.27 ¥1.80

1014.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$16.88 ¥114

73.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.99 ¥6.72

340.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.33 ¥2.20

545.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$4.09 ¥27.67

623.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.03 ¥6.94

76.70%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$18.2K ¥123.0K

108.08%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$13.8K ¥93.6K

133.81%

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

$189 €166

$27.80 ¥188

579.96%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$7.02 ¥47.44

217.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$11.55 ¥78.1

221.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$28.07 ¥190

106.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$14.08 ¥95.2

46.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$5.45 ¥36.86

99.45%

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

$706 €618

$208 ¥1,405

239.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$9,652 ¥65.2K

54.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$35.38 ¥239

152.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$34.68 ¥234

5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$82.5 ¥558

26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$68.9 ¥466

73.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$141 ¥955

1016.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$113 ¥760

1000.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$279 ¥1,884

873.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$208 ¥1,403

881.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$3,025 ¥20.4K

148.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,860 ¥12.6K

181.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$918 ¥6,205

157.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Anshan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $141 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 157% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $146 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 326% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $141 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 $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $545 in Anshan – a 326% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Anshan versus $2,320 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 326% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.