Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Fuenlabrada Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Fuenlabrada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,765 in Fuenlabrada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,996 in Fuenlabrada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,227 in Fuenlabrada.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 41% more expensive than in Fuenlabrada, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Fuenlabrada 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$17.10 €14.74

7.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$68.6 €59.1

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$11.49 €9.90

22.28%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$2.07 €1.78

50.24%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$3.29 €2.84

-10.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.96 €1.69

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$3.41 €2.94

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$5.01 €4.32

-7.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.24 €1.07

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.06 €0.91

99.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.07 €1.79

-11.59%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$3.96 €3.41

30.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$18.34 €15.81

-4.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$9.43 €8.13

0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$22.22 €19.15

-10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.82 €2.43

12.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.38 €2.06

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.69 €2.32

-2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.88 €2.48

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.19 €1.89

-0.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.24 €1.93

-5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.62 €1.40

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.63 €0.54

39.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$6.35 €5.48

12.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$8.22 €7.09

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.14 €0.98

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.29 €1.98

20.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$1.50 €1.29

109.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$3.96 €3.42

-18.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.54 €1.33

-1.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$23.90 €20.60

47.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.77 €1.53

-1.13%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$37.1K €31.9K

-1.08%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$30.2K €26.0K

4.85%

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

$187 €161

$198 €170

-5.33%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$18.49 €15.94

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$35.41 €30.52

6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$10.06 €8.67

16.40%

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

$1,011 €871

$184 €159

449.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$6,117 €5,273

179.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$75.5 €65.1

21.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$38.24 €32.96

7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$80.5 €69.4

37.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$99.1 €85.4

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$749 €645

73.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,260 €1,086

105.37%

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

$1,727 €1,489

37.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.09

2.27%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 37% 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 $69.0 in Fuenlabrada. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $321, with Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Fuenlabrada differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,765 including rent). Fuenlabrada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $184 in Fuenlabrada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $1,765 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fuenlabrada but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada 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 Fuenlabrada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.