Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aracaju Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Aracaju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $639 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,000 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,362 in Aracaju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 275% more expensive than Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Aracaju is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$4.91 R$24.96

260.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$21.46 R$109

226.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$5.33 R$27.12

156.29%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$1.61 R$8.20

70.19%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.02 R$5.17

173.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.59 R$3.00

232.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.84 R$9.35

136.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.63 R$13.39

74.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.92 R$4.70

40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.27 R$6.44

61.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.03 R$5.25

92.23%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.50 R$7.62

126.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$6.81 R$34.65

173.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$3.27 R$16.66

192.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$6.61 R$33.65

184.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.65 R$8.38

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.10 R$5.62

124.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$0.65 R$3.28

223.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$0.91 R$4.63

209.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.94 R$4.78

114.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.85 R$4.35

117.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.46 R$2.35

228.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.57 R$2.89

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$2.00 R$10.18

253.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$6.08 R$30.94

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.33 R$6.76

7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.91 R$9.74

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.83 R$4.23

246.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$37.83 R$192

-24.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$1.09 R$5.55

301.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.08 R$5.52

98.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$6.06 R$30.85

381.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.02 R$5.19

82.35%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.1K R$92.2K

115.18%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$26.7K R$135.8K

22.48%

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

$189 €163

$68.4 R$348

176.38%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$13.83 R$70.4

64.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$15.36 R$78.1

137.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$18.96 R$96.5

203.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$24.45 R$124

-12.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$5.72 R$29.10

88.99%

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

$726 €625

$167 R$851

334.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$4,799 R$24.4K

214.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$52.7 R$268

66.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$29.16 R$148

26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$67.2 R$342

54.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$77.4 R$394

50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$183 R$931

759.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$119 R$603

928.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$607 R$3,088

346.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$215 R$1,096

813.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$1,293 R$6,578

504.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$894 R$4,546

489.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$458 R$2,333

418.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

10.35

-67.25%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $183 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 418% 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 $21.00 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $146 per month, with Aracaju 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 Aracaju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Aracaju differ by about 275% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $639 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 418% more on average, 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $183 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $167 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $639 in Aracaju versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aracaju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Aracaju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Aracaju 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 Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 275% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.