Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arica Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Barcelona vs $1,083 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,468 per month in Barcelona vs $1,646 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,599 per month in Barcelona vs $2,209 in Arica, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 116% more than Arica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Arica is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$8.53 CLP 7,666

100.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$45.28 CLP 40.7K

52.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$7.84 CLP 7,048

75.77%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.71 CLP 2,434

1.85%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.29 CLP 1,162

116.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.02 CLP 913

95.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.25 CLP 2,920

34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$4.23 CLP 3,800

12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.23 CLP 1,107

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.58 CLP 1,424

29.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.92 CLP 1,722

3.65%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$3.57 CLP 3,204

-5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$10.63 CLP 9,549

76.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$6.83 CLP 6,141

37.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$10.81 CLP 9,719

76.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.88 CLP 1,689

43.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.52 CLP 1,364

53.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.52 CLP 1,370

39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.51 CLP 1,360

88.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.28 CLP 1,151

53.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.36 CLP 1,222

32.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.26 CLP 1,133

15.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.16 CLP 1,046

-25.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$5.54 CLP 4,976

22.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$5.77 CLP 5,188

36.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.61 CLP 1,446

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.22 CLP 1,993

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.62 CLP 554

370.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.47 CLP 422

848.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.42 CLP 1,275

28.17%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

100.35%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$21.4K CLP 19.2M

55.03%

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

$189 €163

$134 CLP 120.8K

40.82%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$13.48 CLP 12.1K

69.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$22.38 CLP 20.1K

67.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$39.17 CLP 35.2K

47.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$21.04 CLP 18.9K

-1.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.75 CLP 5,167

88.17%

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

$728 €628

$444 CLP 398.7K

64.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

71.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

19.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$55.7 CLP 50.1K

83.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$83.7 CLP 75.2K

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$490 CLP 440.6K

220.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$369 CLP 331.7K

230.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$895 CLP 804.7K

212.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$583 CLP 524.3K

238.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$536 CLP 482.0K

336.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.18

-34.56%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arica: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Barcelona versus $490 in Arica. 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 337% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $45.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $230 – making Arica 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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona, $1,083 in Arica – roughly 116% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Barcelona and $1,625 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona and $45.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Barcelona at $2,337. In Arica 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 $1,083 in Arica to $2,337 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 Arica. 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.