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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,164 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 213% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Az Zubayr is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$3.97 IQD 5,205

330.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

179.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$6.76 IQD 8,848

103.85%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.63 IQD 3,446

4.94%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.36 IQD 475

675.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.16 IQD 213

1143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.86 IQD 3,745

52.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.93 IQD 3,833

61.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.36 IQD 1,777

-5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.82 IQD 1,076

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.64 IQD 2,151

21.34%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.81 IQD 2,364

87.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$4.42 IQD 5,784

325.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.81 IQD 6,292

94.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

45.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.14 IQD 1,490

136.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.15 IQD 1,506

103.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.01 IQD 1,323

109.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.69 IQD 905

313.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.69 IQD 904

185.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.67 IQD 874

168.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.62 IQD 817

133.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.56 IQD 737

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$1.94 IQD 2,534

249.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.14 IQD 2,809

10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.40 IQD 522

630.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

-9.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.29 IQD 2,996

94.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.47 IQD 1,926

39.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$5.96 IQD 7,804

395.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.57 IQD 743

219.30%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

99.87%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

65.08%

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

$189 €163

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

144.74%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

29.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

10.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

55.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

21.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$7.50 IQD 9,822

44.27%

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

$728 €628

$153 IQD 200.4K

375.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

349.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

224.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

47.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

65.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

177.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$243 IQD 317.6K

546.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$179 IQD 234.4K

580.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$586 IQD 767.7K

376.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$344 IQD 451.1K

473.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $243 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 $319 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 213% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $746 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $1,118 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $243 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% 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 $746 in Az Zubayr versus $2,337 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 213% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.