Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $1,180 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $1,796 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,412 in Arar, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 110% more than Arar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Arar is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.31

$6.61 SAR 24.81

183.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$37.56 SAR 141

84.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.98

$7.94 SAR 29.84

73.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.46 SAR 13.00

-10.40%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.83 SAR 3.11

240.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.26 SAR 0.98

623.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.17 SAR 4.39

84.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-21.78%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.46

$2.35 SAR 8.82

118.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.56

$7.49 SAR 28.15

138.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.40

$8.22 SAR 30.89

17.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.54

$12.91 SAR 48.47

56.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$2.16 SAR 8.11

50.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.72 SAR 6.45

29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$1.55 SAR 5.81

67.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.66 SAR 6.24

66.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$1.19 SAR 4.46

85.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.36 SAR 5.11

55.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.19 SAR 4.46

30.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.59 SAR 2.21

61.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

$6.50 SAR 24.43

12.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.70

$1.06 SAR 3.97

193.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.51

$36.08 SAR 136

-28.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$2.84 SAR 10.68

15.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-16.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

$13.05 SAR 49.01

162.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$0.63 SAR 2.38

174.60%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

-19.60%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

41.76%

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

$187 €163

$99.4 SAR 373

88.25%

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

$15.14 €13.18

$32.81 SAR 123

-53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.80

$66.9 SAR 251

-43.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.69

$84.3 SAR 317

-33.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

$37.46 SAR 141

-54.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

$13.21 SAR 49.63

-13.63%

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

$997 €867

$338 SAR 1,271

194.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

148.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

$51.2 SAR 192

81.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

$57.1 SAR 215

-27.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$96.0 SAR 360

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$88.8 SAR 334

40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,486

$577 SAR 2,169

195.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,119

$343 SAR 1,287

275.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,233

$864 SAR 3,246

196.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,690

$556 SAR 2,089

249.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,656

$2,381 SAR 8,943

221.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

$1,381 SAR 5,187

274.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,044

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.47

-42.23%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Arar: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $577 in Arar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $38.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $203 – making Arar 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona, $1,180 in Arar – roughly 110% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $1,770 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $997 per month in Barcelona and $338 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Barcelona at $2,476. In Arar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,180 in Arar to $2,476 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arar. 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.