Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arue Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,062 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,574 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,087 in Arue.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 119% more expensive than in Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Arue is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

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

$2.81 €2.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.39 CFPF 145

-11.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$4.83 CFPF 503

-57.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$3.95 CFPF 411

-49.87%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$11.60 CFPF 1,209

-69.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$57.4 CFPF 5,980

-68.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$27.36 CFPF 2,849

-64.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$24.70 CFPF 2,572

-22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$5.57 CFPF 581

-50.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.85 CFPF 296

-16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$7.86 CFPF 819

-73.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$8.92 CFPF 929

-69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$4.38 CFPF 457

-55.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.87 CFPF 298

-37.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$3.81 CFPF 396

-61.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.41 CFPF 147

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$12.06 CFPF 1,256

-40.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$28.67 CFPF 2,986

-72.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.98 CFPF 311

-53.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$7.75 CFPF 807

-69.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

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

$37.9K €33.2K

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

$32.4K €28.4K

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

$189 €166

$164 CFPF 17.1K

15.15%

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

$22.29 €19.52

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$125 CFPF 13.0K

-70.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

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

$706 €618

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arue: July 11, 2026

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,480 in Barcelona and $1,593 in Arue to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 140% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $1,062 in Arue – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,062 in Arue versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Arue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,062 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Arue are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.