Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Changwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Changwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,175 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,792 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,409 in Changwon.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 111% more expensive than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Changwon is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$7.31 ₩9,808

151.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$27.35 ₩36.7K

153.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$5.35 ₩7,169

162.62%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$3.60 ₩4,831

-13.61%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.81 ₩2,423

63.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.94 ₩1,256

107.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$2.91 ₩3,902

37.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$4.36 ₩5,847

5.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$2.31 ₩3,091

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.13 ₩4,191

-32.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.15 ₩4,228

-41.90%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.60 ₩3,489

98.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$11.06 ₩14.8K

58.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$10.52 ₩14.1K

-9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$24.67 ₩33.1K

-19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$11.29 ₩15.1K

-71.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$3.67 ₩4,926

-39.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$7.83 ₩10.5K

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$5.89 ₩7,897

-51.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$5.89 ₩7,898

-63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.27 ₩4,390

-35.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$2.85 ₩3,818

-43.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.33 ₩1,788

-33.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$3.40 ₩4,560

110.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$18.84 ₩25.3K

-55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.34 ₩3,141

-35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$3.50 ₩4,688

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$2.92 ₩3,920

10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.76 ₩1,023

98.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$16.94 ₩22.7K

108.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.32 ₩1,771

32.58%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$29.5K ₩39.6M

24.11%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$33.5K ₩44.9M

-5.47%

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

$187 €161

$198 ₩265.3K

-5.42%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$35.58 ₩47.7K

-57.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$26.96 ₩36.2K

39.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$52.4 ₩70.3K

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$11.03 ₩14.8K

6.17%

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

$1,011 €871

$630 ₩844.5K

60.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$22.0K ₩29.5M

-22.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$106 ₩141.6K

-13.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$65.4 ₩87.7K

-37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$93.0 ₩124.7K

18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$126 ₩168.9K

0.12%

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

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

$1,661 ₩2.2M

42.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

4.22

-25.12%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Changwon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 43% 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 $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $484, 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 Changwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Changwon differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,175 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $630 in Changwon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Changwon – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,175 in Changwon versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon 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 Changwon 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 Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.