Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Apeldoorn

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $2,582 in Apeldoorn, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Apeldoorn
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,582
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Apeldoorn

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Apeldoorn actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,381 per month in Barcelona vs $2,582 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Apeldoorn $2,582

A couple spends around $3,406 per month in Barcelona vs $3,624 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Apeldoorn $3,624

A family of three spends $4,431 per month in Barcelona vs $4,666 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Apeldoorn $4,666

Barcelona is about 8% cheaper than Apeldoorn, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Barcelona and Apeldoorn sit above the global median – Barcelona by 76%, Apeldoorn by 91%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €15.92
$22.22 €19.77
-19.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €58.9
$81.6 €72.6
-18.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.18
$13.67 €12.16
0.15%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$4.53 €4.03
-32.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.73
$3.74 €3.33
-17.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$3.29 €2.92
-41.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.44
$5.82 €5.18
-33.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.10
$5.47 €4.87
-15.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.47 €1.31
-11.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.20 €1.96
-4.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.62
$3.03 €2.70
-39.60%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.11
$5.37 €4.78
-13.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.44
$13.91 €12.37
24.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.25
$14.33 €12.75
-35.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.64
$17.31 €15.40
14.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$2.69 €2.40
11.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.42 €2.16
-16.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$2.19 €1.95
21.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$4.26 €3.79
-32.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$1.92 €1.71
12.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.32 €2.06
-7.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.24 €1.10
18.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.91 €0.81
-3.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.16
$13.76 €12.24
-49.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €6.96
$7.17 €6.38
9.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.32 €1.18
5.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.70 €2.40
-2.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.59
$4.10 €3.65
-29.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.64
$67.6 €60.1
-62.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.66
$8.39 €7.46
-64.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.98 €1.76
-27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.53
$22.66 €20.15
46.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.48 €2.21
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$41.4K €36.8K
-21.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.2K
$39.2K €34.9K
-19.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$314 €280
-41.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.11
$26.74 €23.78
-49.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.29
$57.2 €50.9
-42.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.65
$34.18 €30.40
60.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.70
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$15.77 €14.02
-28.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €849
$1,211 €1,078
-21.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.8K
$6,072 €5,401
173.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.5
$77.7 €69.2
10.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.78
$39.87 €35.47
-1.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.2
$89.3 €79.4
16.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$103 €91.6
15.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,508
$971 €864
74.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,135
$1,188 €1,057
7.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,291
$1,575 €1,401
63.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,710
$1,667 €1,483
15.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,477
$4,556 €4,053
59.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,456
$3,630 €3,229
38.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Apeldoorn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,981
$3,222 €2,866
-30.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
3.95
-16.96%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Apeldoorn: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Apeldoorn
$1.2K 6.9% $88
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Apeldoorn
$346 6.6% $21
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Apeldoorn
$341 26.6% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Apeldoorn
$398 73.7% $169
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Apeldoorn
$139 10.8% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Apeldoorn
$66 14.8% $11
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Apeldoorn
$102 116% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,695 in Barcelona versus $971 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 $66.0 in Barcelona versus $82.0 in Apeldoorn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $346 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇳🇱 Apeldoorn
🕒 Local time
12:19 12:19 PM
12:19 12:19 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
167,191
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Apeldoorn 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Apeldoorn

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Apeldoorn cheaper than Barcelona?
Yes – Apeldoorn is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,571 per month in Barcelona and $3,873 in Apeldoorn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Barcelona or in Apeldoorn?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Barcelona and $82.0 in Apeldoorn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Barcelona and in Apeldoorn?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,381 in Barcelona and $2,582 in Apeldoorn. That's a gap of about 8%.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Barcelona or in Apeldoorn?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,381, than in Apeldoorn at $2,582. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Apeldoorn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Barcelona or Apeldoorn more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Barcelona or Apeldoorn?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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