Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bologna Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bologna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,204 in Bologna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $3,486 in Bologna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $4,767 in Bologna.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 12% more expensive than in Bologna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Bologna 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$23.21 €20.23

-19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$91.6 €79.8

-24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$13.99 €12.20

-1.57%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.36 €2.05

31.36%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$3.64 €3.18

-22.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.80 €1.57

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$6.83 €5.95

-41.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$5.82 €5.07

-22.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.37 €1.20

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.21 €2.79

-32.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.99 €2.61

-41.14%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$4.20 €3.66

22.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$21.04 €18.34

-15.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$12.95 €11.29

-25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$21.29 €18.56

-5.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$2.58 €2.25

25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.44 €2.12

-8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.68 €2.33

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$3.58 €3.12

-22.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.95 €1.70

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.85 €1.61

14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.43 €1.25

8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.57 €0.50

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$7.01 €6.11

4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$7.92 €6.90

1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.99 €1.73

-22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$2.88 €2.51

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$2.71 €2.36

14.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

$44.41 €38.71

-41.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$4.77 €4.16

-31.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.75 €1.53

-15.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$33.78 €29.45

1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$2.06 €1.79

-16.02%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$37.8K €33.0K

-3.91%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$37.8K €33.0K

-19.21%

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

$187 €163

$259 €226

-27.77%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$11.42 €9.96

32.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$32.38 €28.22

16.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$65.4 €57.0

-14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

$27.27 €23.77

-37.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$10.28 €8.96

10.99%

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

$997 €869

$806 €702

23.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$17.1K €14.9K

-3.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$96.8 €84.4

-4.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$47.68 €41.56

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$118 €103

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$153 €134

-18.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$1,166 €1,016

46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$884 €771

45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$2,176 €1,897

17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$1,634 €1,425

18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$5,315 €4,633

43.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$3,894 €3,395

32.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$2,203 €1,920

6.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.22

-1.86%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bologna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,166 in Bologna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 7% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $92.0 in Bologna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $376 per month, with Barcelona 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 Bologna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Bologna differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,204 including rent). Bologna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,166 in Bologna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $806 in Bologna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,204 in Bologna versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bologna but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Bologna 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 Bologna 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 Bologna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.