Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Dagupan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Dagupan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $836 in Dagupan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,222 in Dagupan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,609 in Dagupan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 180% more expensive than Dagupan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Dagupan is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$3.23 ₱199

445.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$13.54 ₱835

407.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$4.81 ₱297

185.86%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.76 ₱170

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.51 ₱31.26

445.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.28 ₱17.28

632.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$1.34 ₱82.9

244.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.98 ₱184

54.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.11 ₱130

-39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.44 ₱88.6

46.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.89 ₱55.2

121.35%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.19 ₱135

57.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$6.49 ₱401

190.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$4.40 ₱272

114.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$7.81 ₱482

143.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$4.40 ₱271

-38.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.97 ₱122

20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.71 ₱167

-23.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$1.26 ₱77.5

119.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.15 ₱194

-37.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.96 ₱183

-39.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.10 ₱67.7

37.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.59 ₱36.52

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$2.74 ₱169

146.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$5.69 ₱351

32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.00 ₱61.7

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.12 ₱131

13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.24 ₱14.82

1162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$0.69 ₱42.32

542.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.38 ₱23.45

439.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$3.47 ₱214

745.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.12 ₱69.0

68.75%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$33.5K ₱2.1M

15.50%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$22.3K ₱1.4M

45.33%

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

$189 €161

$113 ₱6,987

66.50%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$26.87 ₱1,658

-17.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$29.55 ₱1,822

24.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$36.99 ₱2,282

56.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$5.82 ₱359

89.86%

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

$726 €622

$328 ₱20.2K

121.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$7,806 ₱481.5K

95.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$59.3 ₱3,657

48.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$8.77 ₱541

321.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$85.1 ₱5,249

20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$122 ₱7,507

-2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$218 ₱13.5K

599.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$173 ₱10.7K

602.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$529 ₱32.6K

428.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$296 ₱18.2K

585.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$500 ₱30.8K

870.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$242 ₱14.9K

892.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $218 in Dagupan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 892% 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 $14.00 in Dagupan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $211 per month, with Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Dagupan differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $836 including rent). Dagupan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 892% 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 $218 in Dagupan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $328 in Dagupan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dagupan – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Dagupan versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dagupan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Dagupan 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 Dagupan 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 Dagupan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.