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 $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $1,341 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $2,298 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $3,255 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 85% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while As-salimiyah is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$11.18 KWD 3.44

67.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$57.3 KWD 17.62

21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$8.00 KWD 2.46

72.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.48

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.10 KWD 1.57

-39.22%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.76 KWD 0.23

272.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.31 KWD 0.10

506.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.74 KWD 0.23

191.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-10.20%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.13 KWD 0.66

140.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$4.50 KWD 1.38

297.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$5.43 KWD 1.67

77.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$9.99 KWD 3.07

101.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$2.06 KWD 0.63

57.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.59 KWD 0.49

40.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.31 KWD 0.40

98.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.50 KWD 0.46

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.36 KWD 0.42

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.83 KWD 0.25

155.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.47 KWD 0.14

102.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$2.70 KWD 0.83

171.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$1.02 KWD 0.31

204.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$47.74 KWD 14.67

-45.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.18 KWD 0.98

2.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-54.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$16.08 KWD 4.94

113.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.35 KWD 0.11

394.29%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$21.0K KWD 6,444

73.42%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$20.1K KWD 6,190

51.63%

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

$187 €163

$32.90 KWD 10.11

468.63%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$20.79 KWD 6.39

-27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$30.09 KWD 9.25

25.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$95.3 KWD 29.29

-41.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$65.8 KWD 20.21

-74.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$11.26 KWD 3.46

1.33%

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

$997 €868

$275 KWD 84.5

262.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$6,451 KWD 1,982

156.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$38.37 KWD 11.79

141.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$38.85 KWD 11.94

6.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$89.4 KWD 27.49

24.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$65.7 KWD 20.18

90.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$894 KWD 275

91.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$632 KWD 194

103.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$1,757 KWD 540

46.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$1,389 KWD 427

39.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$2,785 KWD 856

-15.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.53

-51.61%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $894 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 19% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $57.0 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $158 – 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 85%, 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 $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $2,011 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 $2,476 in Barcelona and $1,341 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% 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 $1,341, than in Barcelona at $2,476. 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.