Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,154 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,577 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 220% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Az Zubayr is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$3.97 IQD 5,195

343.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

173.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$6.96 IQD 9,113

97.56%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.59 IQD 3,388

6.56%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.40 IQD 523

595.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.17 IQD 226

1105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$2.98 IQD 3,907

54.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.88 IQD 3,778

59.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.36 IQD 1,785

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.78 IQD 1,025

170.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.59 IQD 2,082

23.90%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.71 IQD 2,240

101.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$4.44 IQD 5,814

324.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$4.80 IQD 6,287

96.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

44.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.15 IQD 1,511

136.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.21 IQD 1,590

95.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.06 IQD 1,385

96.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.71 IQD 930

288.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.70 IQD 912

181.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.67 IQD 879

167.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.63 IQD 823

139.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.56 IQD 733

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$1.88 IQD 2,466

259.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.78 IQD 2,329

-19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.19 IQD 2,869

10.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.37 IQD 482

718.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

-9.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.24 IQD 2,931

97.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.53 IQD 2,005

33.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$5.83 IQD 7,633

403.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.58 IQD 754

225.86%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

105.65%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

60.92%

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

$189 €161

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

139.45%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

59.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

25.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$7.44 IQD 9,751

48.52%

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

$726 €622

$151 IQD 197.4K

382.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

360.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

220.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

48.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

67.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

188.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$242 IQD 316.5K

531.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$175 IQD 229.6K

595.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$571 IQD 748.4K

389.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$350 IQD 459.1K

478.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Az Zubayr: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Az Zubayr differ by about 220% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $731 including rent). Az Zubayr 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 $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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 $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 220% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.