Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aqaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aqaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $925 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $1,423 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $1,921 in Aqaba, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 151% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Aqaba is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$2.77 JOD 1.96

537.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$48.99 JOD 34.69

42.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$4.19 JOD 2.97

237.95%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-32.85%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.48 JOD 0.34

485.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.37 JOD 0.26

456.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$5.78 JOD 4.09

-20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$7.02 JOD 4.97

-33.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.39 JOD 0.99

-11.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.51 JOD 0.36

298.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.70 JOD 1.20

16.47%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.72 JOD 1.22

102.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$5.53 JOD 3.91

231.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.19 JOD 2.97

134.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$9.72 JOD 6.88

96.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.39 JOD 0.98

96.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.38 JOD 0.98

72.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.03 JOD 0.73

101.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.69 JOD 0.49

298.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.69 JOD 0.49

184.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.70 JOD 0.50

155.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.60 JOD 0.42

146.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.55 JOD 0.39

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.61 JOD 2.56

97.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$16.67 JOD 11.80

-52.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.78 JOD 1.97

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.53 JOD 1.79

-5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.51 JOD 0.36

754.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.45 JOD 1.02

46.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$7.16 JOD 5.07

313.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.40 JOD 0.99

30.00%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

38.26%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$30.7K JOD 21.7K

5.53%

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

$189 €166

$107 JOD 75.4

77.41%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$17.26 JOD 12.22

29.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$31.92 JOD 22.60

16.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$69.1 JOD 48.93

-16.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$11.27 JOD 7.98

-3.55%

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

$706 €618

$276 JOD 195

155.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$2,842 JOD 2,012

423.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$27.68 JOD 19.59

223.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$42.15 JOD 29.84

-13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$42.60 JOD 30.16

144.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$70.6 JOD 50.0

69.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$315 JOD 223

400.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$262 JOD 186

372.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$740 JOD 524

266.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$492 JOD 349

314.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,149 JOD 814

554.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$567 JOD 401

824.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$566 JOD 401

317.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.27

-53.37%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $315 in Aqaba. 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 318% higher in Barcelona, 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $49.00 in Aqaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $187 – making Aqaba 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 Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 151%, 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 $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $1,387 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,320 in Barcelona and $925 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Barcelona and $276 in Aqaba. 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 Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – 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 Aqaba. 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.