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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $950 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,487 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $2,025 in Arzamas.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 146% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Arzamas is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$9.77 ₽708

74.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$38.36 ₽2,780

80.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$5.59 ₽405

146.51%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.37 ₽172

16.46%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.11 ₽80.6

151.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.52 ₽37.83

282.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.43 ₽104

204.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.46 ₽179

92.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.15 ₽83.4

12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.69 ₽50.4

197.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.36 ₽98.9

46.32%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.80 ₽131

88.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$10.75 ₽779

74.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.94 ₽358

89.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$8.80 ₽638

117.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.75 ₽127

54.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.81 ₽131

29.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.98 ₽144

7.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.67 ₽193

6.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.80 ₽58.2

146.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.72 ₽52.3

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.35 ₽98.0

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.71 ₽51.8

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.90 ₽210

133.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$6.77 ₽491

16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.01 ₽72.9

37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.96 ₽142

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.53 ₽38.30

450.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.89 ₽137

135.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.35 ₽25.49

485.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$6.28 ₽455

370.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.77 ₽56.1

136.36%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$34.0K ₽2.5M

14.19%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$35.9K ₽2.6M

-7.88%

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

$189 €163

$110 ₽7,979

71.84%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$6.09 ₽441

274.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$8.03 ₽582

368.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$34.93 ₽2,531

65.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.22 ₽378

107.28%

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

$728 €628

$330 ₽23.9K

120.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$7,082 ₽513.1K

108.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$70.4 ₽5,100

25.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$45.14 ₽3,271

-18.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$115 ₽8,368

-11.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$107 ₽7,768

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$451 ₽32.7K

248.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$309 ₽22.4K

294.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$764 ₽55.4K

265.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$500 ₽36.3K

294.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$2,217 ₽160.6K

249.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$1,864 ₽135.1K

177.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 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 $319 vs $196 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 146% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $950 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $1,424 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: $1,569 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 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,337 per month in Barcelona versus $950 in Arzamas – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Arzamas versus $2,337 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 146% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.