Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arta Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $1,391 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $2,058 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $2,725 in Arta, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 67% more than Arta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Arta sit above the global median – Barcelona by 74%, Arta by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$11.63 €10.17

51.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$45.50 €39.81

53.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$10.21 €8.94

38.69%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$4.32 €3.78

-35.19%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.42 €2.12

16.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.60 €0.52

243.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$5.36 €4.69

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$5.72 €5.00

-18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.28 €1.12

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.19 €1.04

70.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.96 €0.84

106.25%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.51 €3.07

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$13.43 €11.75

36.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$10.93 €9.56

-10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$11.70 €10.24

63.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.02 €0.90

167.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.24 €1.08

91.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.29 €1.13

61.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.06 €0.93

159.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.30 €1.13

50.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.13 €0.99

58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.80 €0.70

85.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.15 €0.13

506.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$5.22 €4.57

36.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$4.41 €3.86

78.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.90 €0.79

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.27 €1.99

5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$1.53 €1.34

96.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$46.81 €40.95

-37.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$4.58 €4.00

-4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.07 €0.94

99.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$13.54 €11.85

118.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$2.06 €1.80

-11.65%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$31.6K €27.6K

19.95%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$31.6K €27.7K

2.31%

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

$189 €165

$215 €188

-12.21%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$25.40 €22.22

-12.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$25.81 €22.58

43.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$47.65 €41.69

21.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$25.73 €22.51

-19.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$10.26 €8.98

5.95%

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

$706 €618

$421 €368

67.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,341 €7,298

78.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$84.5 €73.9

5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$28.63 €25.05

27.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$81.8 €71.6

27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$90.8 €79.5

31.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$496 €434

218.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$391 €342

216.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$765 €669

254.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$610 €534

234.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,910 €2,546

158.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$2,105 €1,842

148.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$903 €790

161.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.68

-27.56%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $496 in Arta. 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 162% 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $46.00 in Arta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $225 – making Arta 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 Arta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $2,087 in Arta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Barcelona and $421 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Arta, where all-in costs run around $1,391, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Arta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arta – 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 Arta. 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.