Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arklow Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arklow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $2,460 in Arklow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $3,534 in Arklow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $4,607 in Arklow, rent included.

Barcelona is about 4% cheaper than Arklow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barcelona and Arklow sit above the global median – Barcelona by 77%, Arklow by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$17.69 €15.22

-0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$68.4 €58.8

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$11.02 €9.48

27.59%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.31 €3.71

-35.50%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.89 €2.49

-3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.26 €1.94

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$6.07 €5.22

-26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$4.71 €4.05

-2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.58 €1.36

-21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.11 €1.82

-3.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.97 €0.84

97.94%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.22 €3.63

-21.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$7.02 €6.04

162.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$8.41 €7.24

12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$8.55 €7.35

124.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.77 €1.52

49.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.51 €1.30

62.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.05 €1.76

3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.63 €2.26

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.65 €2.28

-23.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.52 €1.31

21.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.18 €1.01

24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.10 €1.81

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$19.32 €16.62

-63.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$13.74 €11.82

-42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$3.72 €3.20

-62.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.71 €3.19

-37.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$2.37 €2.04

25.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$100.0 €86.0

-70.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$5.24 €4.51

-12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.70 €2.32

-23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$35.53 €30.56

-17.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.03 €1.74

-9.36%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$41.9K €36.1K

-6.91%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-16.74%

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

$188 €162

$241 €207

-21.91%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$21.52 €18.51

6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$49.00 €42.15

-25.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$45.66 €39.28

25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$13.91 €11.96

-19.55%

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

$721 €620

$1,361 €1,170

-47.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$7,325 €6,301

105.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$102 €87.9

-15.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$48.56 €41.77

-23.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$101 €86.9

0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$114 €98.0

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$1,449 €1,247

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$1,242 €1,068

-1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$2,374 €2,042

13.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$1,986 €1,708

1.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$4,997 €4,298

-52.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.6

-26.30%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arklow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,449 in Arklow. 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 112% higher in Arklow, 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 $68.0 in Arklow. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Barcelona vs $280 in Arklow – so Arklow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Arklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona, $2,460 in Arklow – roughly 4% apart. Arklow costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $3,691 in Arklow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,367 in Barcelona and $2,460 in Arklow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 242% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,367, than in Arklow at $2,460. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arklow 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 $2,367 in Barcelona to $2,460 in Arklow. 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 Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.