Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,476 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,142 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $2,808 in Cartago.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 59% more expensive than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Cartago 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$7.93 ₡3,605

122.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$31.36 ₡14.3K

119.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$9.11 ₡4,145

50.93%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$3.95 ₡1,794

-30.13%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$2.03 ₡922

36.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.23 ₡558

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$2.03 ₡922

127.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$4.75 ₡2,160

-3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.97 ₡897

-35.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.23 ₡1,016

-5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.25 ₡1,025

-12.44%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.98 ₡1,354

15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$7.76 ₡3,531

142.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$9.05 ₡4,115

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$13.45 ₡6,118

41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$4.54 ₡2,065

-40.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.16 ₡527

104.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$3.94 ₡1,791

-47.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$2.76 ₡1,254

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.96 ₡893

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.04 ₡926

-12.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.97 ₡442

55.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.95 ₡885

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$5.38 ₡2,445

25.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$15.32 ₡6,964

-50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.51 ₡1,140

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.83 ₡830

31.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.03 ₡468

194.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$69.4 ₡31.5K

-59.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$1.41 ₡639

214.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.85 ₡841

10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$7.87 ₡3,581

272.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.45 ₡660

30.34%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$37.8K ₡17.2M

2.56%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-2.00%

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

$189 €161

$47.45 ₡21.6K

297.45%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$25.90 ₡11.8K

-14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$57.2 ₡26.0K

-35.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$56.2 ₡25.5K

3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$24.30 ₡11.0K

-13.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$6.36 ₡2,892

73.74%

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

$726 €622

$507 ₡230.5K

43.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$7,204 ₡3.3M

111.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$62.3 ₡28.3K

41.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$52.2 ₡23.7K

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$111 ₡50.6K

-7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$80.0 ₡36.4K

49.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$767 ₡348.7K

99.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$586 ₡266.4K

107.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$740 ₡336.3K

277.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$774 ₡352.0K

161.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,331 ₡605.4K

80.59%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $767 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 81% 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 $31.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $315 per month, with Cartago 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Cartago differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,476 including rent). Cartago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 81% more on average, 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $767 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $507 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,476 in Cartago versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago 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 Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.