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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $907 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $1,450 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $1,992 in Aqaba, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 161% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Aqaba is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$2.79 JOD 1.97

530.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$49.04 JOD 34.71

39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$4.19 JOD 2.96

235.56%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.19 JOD 2.97

-33.65%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.52 JOD 0.37

438.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.35 JOD 0.24

488.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.57 JOD 3.94

-19.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$7.23 JOD 5.12

-36.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.50 JOD 0.36

306.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.68 JOD 1.19

14.29%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.65 JOD 1.17

100.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$5.74 JOD 4.06

221.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.27 JOD 3.02

122.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$9.68 JOD 6.85

97.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.38 JOD 0.98

91.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.39 JOD 0.99

76.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.08 JOD 0.77

96.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.74 JOD 0.52

285.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.73 JOD 0.52

179.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.69 JOD 0.49

168.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.65 JOD 0.46

126.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.58 JOD 0.41

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$3.49 JOD 2.47

104.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$17.21 JOD 12.18

-54.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.80 JOD 1.98

-50.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.50 JOD 1.77

-7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$0.50 JOD 0.36

820.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.40 JOD 0.99

47.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$6.89 JOD 4.88

323.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.41 JOD 1.00

30.50%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

44.67%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$30.9K JOD 21.9K

5.84%

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

$188 €162

$107 JOD 75.6

75.80%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$17.13 JOD 12.12

33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$31.90 JOD 22.57

15.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$70.1 JOD 49.58

-18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$11.45 JOD 8.10

-2.27%

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

$721 €620

$279 JOD 197

158.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$2,770 JOD 1,960

443.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$27.76 JOD 19.65

210.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$43.12 JOD 30.52

-14.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$41.60 JOD 29.44

145.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$70.6 JOD 49.96

64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$315 JOD 223

386.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$255 JOD 181

378.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$728 JOD 515

270.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$496 JOD 351

305.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$1,133 JOD 802

537.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$553 JOD 391

838.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$556 JOD 394

324.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 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 324% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona versus $49.00 in Aqaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $190 – 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 161%, 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 $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $1,361 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 $2,367 in Barcelona and $907 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $721 per month in Barcelona and $279 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 $907, than in Barcelona at $2,367. 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.