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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $982 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,501 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $2,021 in Arzamas.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 139% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Arzamas is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$9.38 ₽705

87.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$37.81 ₽2,840

81.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$5.79 ₽435

137.48%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.30 ₽173

20.00%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.08 ₽80.9

157.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.48 ₽36.03

327.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$1.43 ₽107

222.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.49 ₽187

84.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.10 ₽82.4

16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.70 ₽52.3

201.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.37 ₽103

43.80%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.71 ₽129

101.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$11.03 ₽828

70.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$4.72 ₽355

100.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$9.02 ₽677

110.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.82 ₽136

49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.86 ₽140

27.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.91 ₽144

8.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$2.80 ₽210

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.86 ₽64.5

129.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.66 ₽49.66

171.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.42 ₽106

6.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.66 ₽49.35

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$2.89 ₽217

133.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$6.59 ₽495

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$0.95 ₽71.5

51.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.95 ₽146

23.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.49 ₽36.83

518.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$1.85 ₽139

139.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.35 ₽26.56

485.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$6.52 ₽490

349.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.76 ₽57.2

148.68%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$34.5K ₽2.6M

12.16%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$35.2K ₽2.6M

-7.94%

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

$189 €161

$108 ₽8,077

75.37%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$5.83 ₽438

280.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$7.60 ₽571

384.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$35.09 ₽2,636

65.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$5.19 ₽390

112.91%

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

$726 €622

$322 ₽24.2K

125.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$7,020 ₽527.3K

116.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$69.3 ₽5,208

27.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$43.57 ₽3,273

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$113 ₽8,485

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$106 ₽7,971

12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$451 ₽33.9K

238.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$303 ₽22.7K

302.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$774 ₽58.1K

261.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$506 ₽38.0K

300.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$2,156 ₽162.0K

228.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$1,336 ₽100.4K

262.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $195 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 139% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $982 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $1,472 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $451 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 $2,341 per month in Barcelona versus $982 in Arzamas – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $2,341 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 139% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.