Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $748 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,109 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,469 in Changchun.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 210% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Changchun is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$2.77 ¥18.71

537.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$20.26 ¥137

243.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$4.92 ¥33.27

187.80%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.57 ¥17.36

8.95%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.48 ¥3.27

485.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.29 ¥1.97

610.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$0.83 ¥5.58

454.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.04 ¥13.77

129.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.89 ¥12.77

-34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.25 ¥8.42

62.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.28 ¥8.67

54.69%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.10 ¥7.45

217.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$12.67 ¥85.6

44.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$3.42 ¥23.08

187.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$8.41 ¥56.8

127.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.47 ¥9.90

85.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.03 ¥6.95

131.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.86 ¥5.81

141.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.30 ¥8.81

111.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.73 ¥4.93

168.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.66 ¥4.46

171.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.44 ¥2.94

236.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.56 ¥3.76

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.21 ¥21.68

122.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$11.69 ¥79.0

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.67 ¥4.50

105.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$0.94 ¥6.36

154.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.27 ¥1.81

1014.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$16.96 ¥115

73.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.08 ¥7.30

303.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.26 ¥1.76

719.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$3.43 ¥23.15

762.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.12 ¥7.55

62.50%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$18.2K ¥122.8K

108.54%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$18.7K ¥126.0K

73.59%

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

$189 €166

$42.61 ¥288

343.63%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$14.76 ¥99.7

51.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$14.14 ¥95.6

162.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$42.40 ¥287

36.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$3.75 ¥25.35

450.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$5.00 ¥33.81

117.40%

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

$706 €618

$284 ¥1,919

148.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,474 ¥57.3K

75.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$27.58 ¥186

224.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$30.90 ¥209

18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$74.1 ¥501

40.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$77.5 ¥524

53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$276 ¥1,864

472.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$233 ¥1,577

430.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$596 ¥4,024

355.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$358 ¥2,420

469.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,745 ¥11.8K

331.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$993 ¥6,709

427.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$942 ¥6,366

150.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.27

-35.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Changchun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $276 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 151% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $185 per month, with Changchun 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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Changchun differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $748 including rent). Changchun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 151% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $276 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $284 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $748 in Changchun versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun 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 Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.