Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Den Helder Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Den Helder

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,378 in Den Helder.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,535 in Den Helder.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,692 in Den Helder.

Monthly costs are close between Barcelona and Den Helder; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Den Helder 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$21.22 €18.27

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$87.4 €75.3

-21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$13.78 €11.86

2.03%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.58 €3.95

-39.30%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$4.01 €3.45

-30.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$3.22 €2.77

-36.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$7.05 €6.07

-36.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$5.74 €4.94

-19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.33 €1.14

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.55 €2.20

-20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.12 €2.69

-38.46%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$5.23 €4.51

-36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$14.35 €12.36

28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$16.30 €14.04

-41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$17.36 €14.95

10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.44 €2.11

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.44 €2.10

0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.00 €1.72

6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.72 €3.20

-23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.98 €1.70

3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.13 €1.84

-13.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.34 €1.16

9.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.14 €0.98

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$14.06 €12.10

-49.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$7.28 €6.26

8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.44 €1.24

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.67 €2.30

-13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$3.55 €3.05

-16.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$91.0 €78.4

-67.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.65 €3.14

26.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.40 €2.06

-13.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$26.65 €22.95

9.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.22 €1.91

-17.12%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$40.7K €35.1K

-4.20%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$39.7K €34.2K

-17.66%

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

$188 €162

$97.3 €83.8

92.99%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$26.66 €22.95

-13.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$47.98 €41.31

-23.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$40.44 €34.82

41.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$23.36 €20.12

-11.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$16.44 €14.15

-31.93%

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

$721 €621

$2,600 €2,239

-72.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$10.8K €9,284

39.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$115 €99.3

-25.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$60.9 €52.4

-39.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$105 €90.1

-2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$129 €111

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$1,430 €1,231

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$1,189 €1,024

2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$2,309 €1,988

16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,753 €1,510

14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$6,517 €5,612

10.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$5,181 €4,461

0.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$2,315 €1,994

1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.39

-22.78%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Den Helder: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,430 in Den Helder. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 2% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $87.0 in Den Helder for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $359 per month, with Barcelona 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 Den Helder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona pays 2% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,430 in Den Helder. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $2,600 in Den Helder. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $87.0 in Den Helder. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,378 in Den Helder, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Den Helder. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 Den Helder are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Barcelona wins on affordability, Den Helder on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.