Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Brades Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Brades

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $919 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,178 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,437 in Brades.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 170% more expensive than in Brades, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Brades is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$18.86 EC$50.9

-2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$48.50 EC$131

43.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$11.82 EC$31.92

18.87%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$7.05 EC$19.03

-55.89%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$2.89 EC$7.79

2.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.57 EC$4.24

24.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$2.99 EC$8.07

33.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$4.52 EC$12.20

2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$3.50 EC$9.45

-62.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.94 EC$7.95

-28.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$7.44 EC$20.09

-30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$5.83 EC$15.74

201.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$9.33 EC$25.20

1.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$22.92 EC$61.9

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.33 EC$8.99

-4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$4.48 EC$12.09

-36.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.16 EC$5.83

-2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$5.09 EC$13.74

-68.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$22.33 EC$60.3

-62.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$4.56 EC$12.32

-39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$1.86 EC$5.03

68.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$4.56 EC$12.31

-66.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$1.86 EC$5.03

1795.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$22.4K EC$60.4K

63.74%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$14.9K EC$40.2K

112.51%

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

$187 €161

$94.2 EC$254

98.62%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$40.71 EC$110

-62.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$47.66 EC$129

-21.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$56.1 EC$152

-1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

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

$1,011 €871

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,277 EC$3,449

102.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$1,301 EC$3,512

48.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$1,276 EC$3,446

85.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brades: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 86% 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 $48.00 in Brades. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $345, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Brades differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $919 including rent). Brades is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 86% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Brades – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $919 in Brades – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $919 in Brades versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Brades 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 Brades 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 Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.