Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $1,448 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $2,276 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $3,103 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 63% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Barcelona by 77%, As-salimiyah by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$9.60 KWD 2.95

78.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$44.54 KWD 13.70

52.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$7.97 KWD 2.45

71.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$5.91 KWD 1.82

-52.96%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.67 KWD 0.21

320.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.37 KWD 0.11

429.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.45 KWD 0.45

-12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.83 KWD 0.25

156.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.67 KWD 0.51

19.16%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.11 KWD 0.65

59.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$4.77 KWD 1.47

297.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$6.43 KWD 1.98

48.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$10.43 KWD 3.21

79.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.00 KWD 0.62

32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.61 KWD 0.50

45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.57 KWD 0.48

33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.36 KWD 0.42

100.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.26 KWD 0.39

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.87 KWD 0.27

108.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.49 KWD 0.15

81.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$3.00 KWD 0.92

126.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$1.16 KWD 0.36

150.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$49.66 KWD 15.28

-42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$3.28 KWD 1.01

39.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$3.15 KWD 0.97

-35.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$16.09 KWD 4.95

78.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.34 KWD 0.11

435.29%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$20.8K KWD 6,408

88.74%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$19.7K KWD 6,065

64.71%

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

$187 €162

$39.50 KWD 12.15

372.48%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$18.54 KWD 5.70

20.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$25.52 KWD 7.85

42.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$94.7 KWD 29.12

-39.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$64.9 KWD 19.97

-68.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$8.67 KWD 2.67

24.22%

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

$725 €628

$281 KWD 86.6

157.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$6,536 KWD 2,010

131.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$42.93 KWD 13.20

104.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$42.60 KWD 13.10

-13.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$88.1 KWD 27.09

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$69.4 KWD 21.36

70.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$968 KWD 298

57.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$711 KWD 219

72.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,889 KWD 581

44.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$1,337 KWD 411

48.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$2,728 KWD 839

-12.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.14

-52.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $968 in As-salimiyah. 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 14% higher in As-salimiyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $45.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $166 – making As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 63%, 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 $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $2,172 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,359 in Barcelona and $1,448 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 73% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. 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.