😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $970 in Benares.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,570 in Benares.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,171 in Benares.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 144% more expensive than Benares, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Benares is 28% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58€15.12
$6.69MUR 316
162.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4€58.9
$43.19MUR 2,041
58.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.06€12.09
$6.40MUR 303
119.69%
Cappuccino
$2.78€2.39
$2.64MUR 125
5.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80€2.41
$1.01MUR 47.64
177.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06€1.78
$0.57MUR 26.90
261.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.46€3.84
$2.06MUR 97.5
116.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61€3.96
$2.75MUR 130
67.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.07
$1.52MUR 71.9
-18.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.03€1.74
$0.65MUR 30.75
212.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$1.33MUR 62.9
44.36%
Eggs
$3.31€2.85
$2.36MUR 111
40.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.43€15.85
$9.68MUR 457
90.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.49€8.16
$6.22MUR 294
52.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.16€16.48
$10.48MUR 495
82.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.27
$2.07MUR 98.0
27.54%
Banana(1kg)
$2.45€2.11
$1.99MUR 94.0
23.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12€1.82
$1.45MUR 68.5
46.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.85€2.45
$2.62MUR 124
8.78%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.75
$1.02MUR 48.42
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.85€1.59
$0.95MUR 44.88
94.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47€1.26
$0.80MUR 37.74
83.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84€0.73
$0.57MUR 27.09
47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.14€6.14
$6.20MUR 293
15.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.88€6.78
$8.29MUR 392
-4.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.19
$1.79MUR 84.7
-22.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31€1.99
$2.10MUR 99.3
10.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.98€2.56
$1.04MUR 49.23
186.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.26€25.17
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.60€3.95
$4.33MUR 205
6.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.07€1.78
$2.69MUR 127
-23.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.18€25.10
$15.33MUR 724
90.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84€1.58
$1.39MUR 65.8
32.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K€33.6K
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
9.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K€28.1K
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
12.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188€162
$50.3MUR 2,376
273.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.93€19.73
$18.59MUR 878
23.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.71€31.58
$32.34MUR 1,528
13.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.4€49.35
$37.89MUR 1,790
51.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.70€17.80
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.19€9.63
$6.08MUR 287
84.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$721€620
$151MUR 7,149
376.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K€12.9K
$3,885MUR 183.6K
287.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.2€74.2
$51.1MUR 2,413
68.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.07€31.89
$43.42MUR 2,052
-14.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€87.8
$83.5MUR 3,946
22.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116€99.7
$77.8MUR 3,675
49.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,534€1,319
$504MUR 23.8K
204.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,220€1,050
$354MUR 16.7K
244.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,696€2,319
$931MUR 44.0K
189.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,013€1,732
$718MUR 33.9K
180.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,220€6,211
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,189€4,463
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Benares
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,359€2,029
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
6.25
-45.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026
Last update for Benares: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $504 in Benares. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $43.00 in Benares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $214 per month, with Benares 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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Benares?
Barcelona and Benares differ by about 144% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $970 including rent). Benares is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Benares?
You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $1,454 in Benares 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Benares?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $504 in Benares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Benares?
Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $151 in Benares. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Benares – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $970 in Benares versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Benares but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Benares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Benares?
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.
Is Barcelona or Benares safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Benares are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Benares?
Expats usually find Benares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.