Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $878 in Barranquilla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,369 in Barranquilla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,860 in Barranquilla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 169% more expensive than in Barranquilla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Barranquilla is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$4.71 COP 14.8K

264.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$31.31 COP 98.6K

117.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$7.10 COP 22.4K

92.11%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.74 COP 5,486

59.77%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.92 COP 2,885

206.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.65 COP 2,047

201.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.30 COP 4,095

240.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$1.97 COP 6,190

134.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$0.97 COP 3,067

30.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.28 COP 4,036

66.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.06 COP 3,327

87.74%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.99 COP 6,269

69.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$4.71 COP 14.8K

302.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$5.03 COP 15.8K

89.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$7.19 COP 22.6K

160.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.89 COP 9,091

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.35 COP 4,237

74.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.56 COP 4,906

33.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.77 COP 2,428

254.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.89 COP 2,802

120.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.43 COP 4,503

26.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.82 COP 2,585

84.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.61 COP 1,924

45.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.75 COP 8,668

146.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$11.43 COP 36.0K

-30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.84 COP 2,658

63.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.29 COP 4,048

86.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.71 COP 2,246

309.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$32.48 COP 102.3K

-11.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.98 COP 6,227

131.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$2.86 COP 9,000

-28.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$4.85 COP 15.3K

492.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.97 COP 3,062

87.63%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$15.2K COP 47.7M

159.48%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$22.0K COP 69.4M

47.30%

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

$187 €162

$140 COP 440.8K

33.30%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$8.24 COP 25.9K

170.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$21.81 COP 68.7K

66.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$21.14 COP 66.6K

172.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$14.66 COP 46.1K

41.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$4.35 COP 13.7K

147.59%

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

$725 €628

$61.6 COP 194.0K

1076.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$1,791 COP 5.6M

746.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$61.7 COP 194.2K

42.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$54.2 COP 170.6K

-32.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$80.6 COP 253.7K

28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$72.8 COP 229.3K

62.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$242 COP 762.6K

529.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$224 COP 705.4K

447.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$539 COP 1.7M

405.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$468 COP 1.5M

324.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$1,860 COP 5.9M

301.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$712 COP 2.2M

636.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$573 COP 1.8M

317.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-66.10%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $242 in Barranquilla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 318% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $31.00 in Barranquilla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $174 per month, with Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Barranquilla differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $878 including rent). Barranquilla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 318% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $242 in Barranquilla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $61.6 in Barranquilla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Barranquilla versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Barranquilla but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.