Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Argostoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Argostoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $1,410 in Argostoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $2,106 in Argostoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $2,803 in Argostoli, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 68% more than Argostoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Barcelona and Argostoli sit above the global median – Barcelona by 77%, Argostoli by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$11.66 €10.04

50.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$56.1 €48.27

22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$8.91 €7.68

57.80%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$3.78 €3.25

-26.46%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.66 €1.43

68.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.55 €0.48

274.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.75 €4.09

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$4.62 €3.98

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.69 €1.45

-26.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.33 €1.14

52.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.26 €1.94

-15.04%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.05 €3.48

-18.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$11.24 €9.68

63.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$8.81 €7.58

7.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$13.82 €11.90

38.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.24 €1.92

17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.52 €2.17

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.71 €1.47

23.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.57 €2.21

10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.26 €1.08

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.28 €1.10

44.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.95 €0.82

54.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.21 €1.04

-30.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$6.23 €5.37

14.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$6.50 €5.60

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.38 €2.05

-42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.79 €3.27

-39.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.58 €1.36

88.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$45.87 €39.50

-36.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.02 €3.46

14.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.06 €0.91

95.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$11.42 €9.83

155.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.07 €1.78

-11.11%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$31.6K €27.2K

23.43%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$25.5K €22.0K

28.20%

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

$188 €162

$220 €189

-14.64%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$22.32 €19.22

2.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$32.44 €27.94

13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$47.54 €40.94

20.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$25.72 €22.15

-19.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$9.03 €7.77

23.92%

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

$721 €621

$524 €451

37.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$6,523 €5,617

130.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$66.1 €56.9

30.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$32.76 €28.21

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$69.0 €59.4

47.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$106 €90.9

9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$506 €436

202.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$396 €341

208.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$773 €666

248.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$615 €529

227.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$3,088 €2,659

133.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$2,543 €2,190

104.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.42

-23.30%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Argostoli: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $506 in Argostoli. 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 $68.0 in Barcelona versus $56.0 in Argostoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $278 – making Argostoli 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 Argostoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 68%, 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 $2,115 in Argostoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $56.0 in Argostoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Argostoli, where all-in costs run around $1,410, than in Barcelona at $2,367. In Argostoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Argostoli – 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 Argostoli. 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.