Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Dordrecht

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,453 a month against $2,640 in Dordrecht, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Dordrecht, Netherlands
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Dordrecht
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Dordrecht

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 Dordrecht actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $2,640 in Dordrecht.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Dordrecht $2,640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $3,716 in Dordrecht.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Dordrecht $3,716

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $4,792 in Dordrecht.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Dordrecht $4,792

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 7% less than in Dordrecht, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Dordrecht 94% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.69
$18.81 €16.78
-6.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.2
$87.7 €78.3
-23.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.07
$14.30 €12.76
-5.38%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.85
$3.87 €3.45
-17.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.60
$3.39 €3.03
-14.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.69
$2.69 €2.40
-29.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.58
$6.33 €5.65
-36.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.04
$5.42 €4.84
-16.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.16
$1.31 €1.17
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.97 €1.76
2.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.65
$2.85 €2.54
-35.09%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.31
$4.05 €3.61
19.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €14.93
$13.85 €12.36
20.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.14
$14.33 €12.78
-36.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.52
$17.52 €15.63
12.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.66
$2.46 €2.19
21.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.42 €2.16
-16.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.41
$2.06 €1.83
31.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$3.56 €3.18
-21.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.93 €1.72
8.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.61 €1.44
28.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.20 €1.07
21.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$1.14 €1.02
-17.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.13
$12.15 €10.84
-43.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.04
$7.40 €6.60
6.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.25
$1.51 €1.35
-6.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.26
$2.51 €2.24
1.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.80
$4.41 €3.94
-28.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.70
$90.8 €81.0
-71.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.67
$4.29 €3.82
-30.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$3.01 €2.68
-50.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.78
$32.97 €29.42
1.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.60
$2.46 €2.20
-26.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$40.6K €36.3K
-18.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.3K
$38.3K €34.2K
-17.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €161
$411 €367
-56.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.35
$31.98 €28.53
-56.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.06
$46.81 €41.76
-28.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €45.96
$35.75 €31.89
44.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.24
$24.57 €21.92
-35.04%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.81
$14.55 €12.98
-24.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €818
$2,493 €2,224
-63.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.7K
$8,151 €7,273
102.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €77.7
$74.8 €66.7
16.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.35
$35.55 €31.72
8.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.4
$95.1 €84.9
11.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$177 €158
-32.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,516
$1,480 €1,321
14.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,209
$1,145 €1,022
18.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,322
$2,102 €1,875
23.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,840
$1,632 €1,456
26.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,169
$4,287 €3,825
61.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,575
$3,794 €3,385
35.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Dordrecht
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,972
$5,205 €4,644
-57.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
4.27
-23.19%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dordrecht: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Dordrecht
$1.1K 15.5% $210
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Dordrecht
$334 3.7% $12
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Dordrecht
$307 14.4% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Dordrecht
$490 115% $262
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Dordrecht
$172 8.9% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Dordrecht
$65 11.8% $8.7
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Dordrecht
$128 164% $79

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $1,480 in Dordrecht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dordrecht pays about 2.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $88 in Dordrecht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $334 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇳🇱 Dordrecht
🕒 Local time
18:28 6:28 PM
18:28 6:28 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
121,434
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Dordrecht 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Dordrecht

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 Dordrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Dordrecht?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $2,640 in Dordrecht, so Barcelona is about 7% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 58% 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 Dordrecht?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $1,480 in Dordrecht. 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 Dordrecht?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $2,493 in Dordrecht. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Dordrecht. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Barcelona compared to Dordrecht?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Barcelona gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Dordrecht?
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.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Dordrecht?
It comes down to priorities – Barcelona wins on affordability, Dordrecht on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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