Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Apeldoorn Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Apeldoorn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $2,572 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $3,653 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $4,734 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

Barcelona is about 8% cheaper than Apeldoorn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barcelona and Apeldoorn sit above the global median – Barcelona by 77%, Apeldoorn by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$20.62 €17.76

-14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$80.1 €69.0

-14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$13.14 €11.32

7.00%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.26 €3.67

-34.74%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$3.61 €3.11

-22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$3.33 €2.87

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.93 €5.11

-24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$5.20 €4.47

-11.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.23 €1.06

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.49 €2.15

-18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.36 €2.90

-42.86%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.72 €4.06

-29.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$13.16 €11.34

40.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$15.72 €13.54

-39.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$17.33 €14.92

10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.33 €2.01

13.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.60 €2.24

-5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.09 €1.80

1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$4.01 €3.46

-28.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.12 €1.82

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.35 €2.03

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.21 €1.05

21.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.77 €0.67

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$14.53 €12.52

-50.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$7.47 €6.43

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.49 €1.29

-7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.59 €2.23

-10.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$4.24 €3.65

-29.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$91.8 €79.0

-68.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.97 €3.42

15.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.60 €2.24

-20.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$22.81 €19.64

27.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.27 €1.96

-18.94%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$34.2K €29.5K

14.03%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$36.2K €31.2K

-9.77%

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

$188 €162

$264 €227

-28.76%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$25.30 €21.78

-9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$54.0 €46.48

-31.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$35.36 €30.44

62.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$41.12 €35.41

-49.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$16.41 €14.13

-31.81%

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

$721 €621

$1,906 €1,641

-62.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$6,156 €5,301

144.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$92.9 €80.0

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$37.67 €32.44

-1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$99.9 €86.0

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$116 €99.5

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$996 €857

54.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$1,195 €1,029

2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,651 €1,422

63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,712 €1,475

17.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$4,645 €4,000

55.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$3,842 €3,308

35.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$3,412 €2,938

-30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.36

-22.25%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Apeldoorn: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $996 in Apeldoorn. 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 45% higher in Apeldoorn, 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 $68.0 in Barcelona versus $80.0 in Apeldoorn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $348 – making Barcelona 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 Apeldoorn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Apeldoorn is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $3,858 in Apeldoorn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $80.0 in Apeldoorn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,367 in Barcelona and $2,572 in Apeldoorn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,367, than in Apeldoorn at $2,572. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Apeldoorn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barcelona – 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 Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Apeldoorn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.