Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 147% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Arzamas is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$9.35 ₽745

83.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$37.43 ₽2,979

81.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$5.73 ₽456

138.05%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.25 ₽179

23.56%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.12 ₽88.8

151.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.51 ₽40.67

284.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.40 ₽112

216.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.49 ₽198

85.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.12 ₽88.8

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.65 ₽52.1

227.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.37 ₽109

45.26%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.70 ₽135

98.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$10.80 ₽859

75.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$4.92 ₽391

93.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$8.71 ₽693

115.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.72 ₽137

54.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.88 ₽150

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.98 ₽157

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.71 ₽215

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.83 ₽66.2

136.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.66 ₽52.9

174.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.40 ₽112

7.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.72 ₽57.3

23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.85 ₽227

137.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$6.46 ₽514

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.01 ₽80.0

35.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.88 ₽150

27.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.53 ₽42.05

449.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.91 ₽152

139.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.33 ₽26.23

518.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$6.51 ₽518

341.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.77 ₽61.3

136.36%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$33.9K ₽2.7M

16.05%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$35.4K ₽2.8M

-8.15%

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

$187 €162

$107 ₽8,553

73.67%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$5.82 ₽463

282.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$7.94 ₽632

358.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$35.86 ₽2,854

60.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$5.11 ₽407

110.76%

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

$725 €628

$325 ₽25.9K

122.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$7,044 ₽560.7K

115.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$70.2 ₽5,587

25.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$45.06 ₽3,586

-18.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$114 ₽9,058

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$106 ₽8,408

12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$448 ₽35.6K

240.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$300 ₽23.9K

309.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$758 ₽60.3K

259.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$501 ₽39.9K

296.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$2,008 ₽159.8K

271.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$1,434 ₽114.1K

265.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

15.33

-77.89%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $194 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Arzamas differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $1,431 in Arzamas 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $448 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,359 per month in Barcelona versus $954 in Arzamas – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Arzamas 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 Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.