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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $1,086 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,650 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $2,215 in Arica, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 117% more than Arica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Arica is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$8.54 CLP 7,947

100.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$44.21 CLP 41.1K

53.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$8.09 CLP 7,527

68.60%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.76 CLP 2,569

0.72%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.31 CLP 1,217

115.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.06 CLP 982

84.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$3.26 CLP 3,033

35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$4.30 CLP 4,004

7.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.24 CLP 1,151

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.49 CLP 1,390

42.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.93 CLP 1,792

3.11%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$3.62 CLP 3,370

-6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$10.51 CLP 9,780

80.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$6.58 CLP 6,120

44.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$11.05 CLP 10.3K

69.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.80 CLP 1,679

47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.50 CLP 1,399

56.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.59 CLP 1,478

31.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.46 CLP 1,355

86.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.23 CLP 1,144

59.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.39 CLP 1,295

30.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.25 CLP 1,165

20.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.17 CLP 1,091

-23.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$5.35 CLP 4,975

26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$5.57 CLP 5,181

42.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.55 CLP 1,440

-11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.33 CLP 2,171

3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.59 CLP 549

393.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.50 CLP 468

816.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.36 CLP 1,266

33.82%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

98.77%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$21.2K CLP 19.7M

53.18%

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

$187 €162

$131 CLP 121.6K

42.76%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

64.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

67.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$38.79 CLP 36.1K

48.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$21.34 CLP 19.9K

-2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$5.51 CLP 5,124

95.46%

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

$725 €628

$435 CLP 404.4K

66.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

75.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$30.44 CLP 28.3K

20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$57.7 CLP 53.7K

79.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$83.8 CLP 77.9K

41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$477 CLP 443.4K

219.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$380 CLP 354.0K

222.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$903 CLP 839.9K

202.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$589 CLP 548.1K

236.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$527 CLP 490.6K

353.75%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arica: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $477 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 354% 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 $44.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $228 – 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: $2,359 in Barcelona, $1,086 in Arica – roughly 117% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $1,629 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 $68.0 in Barcelona and $44.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $1,086, than in Barcelona at $2,359. 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 $1,086 in Arica to $2,359 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.