Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Astana Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Astana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Barcelona vs $1,124 in Astana, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,548 per month in Barcelona vs $1,819 in Astana, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,514 in Astana, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 121% more than Astana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 80% above the global median, while Astana is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$10.49 ₸4,729

75.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$37.23 ₸16.8K

86.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$7.60 ₸3,426

84.87%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$2.56 ₸1,152

21.48%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.13 ₸507

161.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.64 ₸288

204.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.29 ₸580

209.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$2.17 ₸979

112.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.25 ₸564

5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.57 ₸259

270.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.82 ₸819

0.55%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.23 ₸1,004

131.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$11.53 ₸5,197

52.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$5.68 ₸2,559

67.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$10.53 ₸4,746

89.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$1.80 ₸812

76.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.46 ₸1,108

-10.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.22 ₸1,000

17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.38 ₸1,074

19.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$0.75 ₸338

189.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.45 ₸202

368.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.52 ₸687

6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.86 ₸388

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$2.18 ₸982

228.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$11.06 ₸4,983

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.33 ₸598

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.38 ₸1,072

15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$0.25 ₸113

1156.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

$16.49 ₸7,431

59.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$2.58 ₸1,164

24.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.11 ₸501

36.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$6.49 ₸2,923

443.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.65 ₸293

169.23%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$24.2K ₸10.9M

51.48%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$29.9K ₸13.5M

5.86%

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

$187 €161

$66.7 ₸30.0K

180.75%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$9.82 ₸4,423

53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$17.73 ₸7,991

112.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$58.0 ₸26.1K

-4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

$20.39 ₸9,190

-17.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$6.25 ₸2,817

87.36%

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

$1,011 €871

$376 ₸169.5K

168.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$11.8K ₸5.3M

44.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$66.9 ₸30.2K

36.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$45.46 ₸20.5K

-9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$117 ₸52.6K

-5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$127 ₸57.4K

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$562 ₸253.3K

203.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$380 ₸171.4K

241.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,170 ₸527.0K

121.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$775 ₸349.2K

148.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$1,499 ₸675.6K

415.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$1,116 ₸502.8K

382.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$852 ₸383.8K

178.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

16.2

-80.49%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Astana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,704 in Barcelona versus $562 in Astana. 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 179% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $37.00 in Astana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $227 – making Astana 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 Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona, $1,124 in Astana – roughly 121% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,724 per month in Barcelona and $1,687 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,011 per month in Barcelona and $376 in Astana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Astana, where all-in costs run around $1,124, than in Barcelona at $2,482. In Astana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,124 in Astana to $2,482 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Astana. 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.