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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,500 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,128 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $2,757 in Cartago.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 56% more expensive than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Cartago 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$7.76 ₡3,508

120.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$31.28 ₡14.1K

121.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$9.08 ₡4,101

51.76%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$3.82 ₡1,724

-27.75%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.02 ₡913

38.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.24 ₡561

60.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.94 ₡877

124.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$4.62 ₡2,086

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.97 ₡889

-34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.16 ₡977

-5.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.16 ₡976

-7.87%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.91 ₡1,313

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$7.76 ₡3,506

142.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$8.96 ₡4,046

4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.75 ₡6,214

39.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$4.46 ₡2,015

-39.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.20 ₡544

95.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$3.90 ₡1,763

-45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.71 ₡1,223

5.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.04 ₡920

-3.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.05 ₡925

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.01 ₡458

43.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.94 ₡875

-55.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$5.30 ₡2,395

27.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$15.38 ₡6,951

-48.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.54 ₡1,149

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.82 ₡820

30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.05 ₡477

178.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$69.2 ₡31.3K

-58.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.40 ₡633

218.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.87 ₡845

9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$7.87 ₡3,558

275.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.46 ₡661

24.66%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$37.2K ₡16.8M

4.36%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$33.1K ₡15.0M

0.01%

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

$189 €163

$47.76 ₡21.6K

296.21%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$26.03 ₡11.8K

-12.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$57.8 ₡26.1K

-34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$57.7 ₡26.1K

0.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$23.52 ₡10.6K

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$6.41 ₡2,896

68.80%

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

$728 €628

$496 ₡224.2K

46.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$7,129 ₡3.2M

107.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$61.9 ₡28.0K

43.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$50.9 ₡23.0K

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$109 ₡49.2K

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$79.8 ₡36.0K

45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$751 ₡339.3K

108.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$588 ₡265.8K

107.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$753 ₡340.4K

271.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$751 ₡339.4K

163.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,335 ₡603.2K

75.52%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $751 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 76% 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 $319 vs $314 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 56% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,500 including rent). Cartago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 76% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $751 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $496 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,500 in Cartago versus $2,337 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 56% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.