Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Daegu

For one person, living is cheaper in Daegu: $1,569 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Barcelona, Spain
Daegu, South Korea
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Daegu
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,569
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Daegu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Daegu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $1,569 in Daegu.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Daegu $1,569

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $2,404 in Daegu.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Daegu $2,404

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $3,239 in Daegu.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Daegu $3,239

Living in Barcelona is roughly 56% more expensive than in Daegu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Daegu 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.76
$9.14 ₩12.2K
92.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$37.29 ₩49.7K
80.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.12
$5.43 ₩7,246
149.17%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$4.05 ₩5,397
-21.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$1.58 ₩2,112
84.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$0.91 ₩1,218
107.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.59
$3.80 ₩5,062
5.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
$5.22 ₩6,958
-13.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$2.51 ₩3,353
-47.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$4.35 ₩5,799
-53.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.70 ₩3,599
-31.48%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.33
$2.83 ₩3,779
70.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €15.00
$10.30 ₩13.7K
62.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.17
$7.12 ₩9,500
28.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.60
$21.04 ₩28.1K
-6.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$6.57 ₩8,762
-54.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.67 ₩3,565
-24.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$5.54 ₩7,391
-51.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$5.82 ₩7,760
-51.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$2.68 ₩3,568
-22.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$2.14 ₩2,853
-3.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$4.44 ₩5,916
-67.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$1.40 ₩1,862
-32.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.16
$2.97 ₩3,954
131.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.07
$15.03 ₩20.0K
-47.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$2.26 ₩3,007
-37.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
$2.38 ₩3,175
6.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$1.16 ₩1,552
170.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.80
$76.3 ₩101.7K
-66.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$3.24 ₩4,320
-7.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$0.62 ₩821
140.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.91
$8.18 ₩10.9K
307.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$1.30 ₩1,735
38.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$28.5K ₩37.9M
16.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$40.9K ₩54.6M
-22.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$279 ₩372.2K
-35.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.40
$50.1 ₩66.8K
-72.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.20
$47.19 ₩62.9K
-28.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.16
$51.6 ₩68.8K
-0.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.30
$11.95 ₩15.9K
33.56%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.85
$11.15 ₩14.9K
-1.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €821
$530 ₩707.3K
72.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$28.5K ₩38.0M
-42.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €78.0
$56.6 ₩75.4K
53.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.51
$50.5 ₩67.4K
-23.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.8
$96.4 ₩128.5K
9.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$170 ₩227.3K
-29.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,523
$425 ₩567.4K
299.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,214
$272 ₩362.6K
398.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,332
$1,042 ₩1.4M
149.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,848
$606 ₩808.8K
240.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,196
$7,269 ₩9.7M
-4.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,595
$5,404 ₩7.2M
-5.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Daegu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,981
$2,451 ₩3.3M
-9.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
5.07
-35.31%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Daegu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Daegu
$272 79.9% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Daegu
$413 28.5% $92
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Daegu
$177 33.8% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Daegu
$376 65.1% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Daegu
$168 6.5% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Daegu
$74 0.5% $0.4
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Daegu
$87 80% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $425 in Daegu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Daegu pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $37 in Daegu. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $413, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇰🇷 Daegu
🕒 Local time
06:19 6:19 AM
14:19 2:19 PM
8 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
2,528,933
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,489 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Daegu 9,840 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Daegu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Daegu?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $1,569 in Daegu, so Daegu is about 36% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Barcelona. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Daegu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $425 in Daegu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Daegu?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $530 in Daegu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,569 in Daegu versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Daegu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Daegu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Daegu?
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.
Is Barcelona or Daegu safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Daegu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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