😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,306 in Fukuoka.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,041 in Fukuoka.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $2,777 in Fukuoka.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 79% more expensive than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Fukuoka is 2% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61€15.08
$8.24¥1,319
113.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€58.8
$42.19¥6,753
62.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75€11.77
$6.24¥999
120.35%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.36
$3.13¥501
-11.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.38
$1.09¥174
155.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.75
$0.78¥125
162.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.94
$1.68¥270
174.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.93
$2.07¥331
121.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.10
$1.71¥274
-25.15%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.81
$1.60¥256
31.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$4.10¥656
-51.95%
Eggs
$3.44€2.95
$2.60¥416
32.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83€16.12
$21.07¥3,373
-10.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45€8.09
$6.11¥979
54.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01€16.27
$20.91¥3,347
-9.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72€2.33
$3.13¥501
-13.10%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$1.41¥225
68.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.78
$1.35¥216
54.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.36
$5.93¥949
-53.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$2.80¥449
-29.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$3.25¥521
-44.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$0.97¥155
55.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.77
$0.77¥123
16.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76€5.79
$3.94¥631
71.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55€6.46
$6.40¥1,024
17.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.23
$2.00¥321
-28.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.06
$2.12¥340
13.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03€2.59
$1.81¥290
67.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39€24.30
$42.35¥6,780
-32.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.79
$4.63¥741
-4.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05€1.76
$4.51¥722
-54.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33€25.11
$19.43¥3,110
50.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89€1.62
$1.23¥197
53.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K€33.2K
$22.8K¥3.6M
70.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.7K
$20.1K¥3.2M
60.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189€161
$215¥34.5K
-12.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21€19.01
$27.08¥4,335
-17.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82€31.52
$35.39¥5,664
4.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0€49.64
$58.6¥9,386
-1.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99€17.97
$3.39¥543
519.17%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.46
$13.91¥2,227
-20.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726€622
$424¥67.8K
71.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.0K
$13.3K¥2.1M
14.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3€75.6
$43.07¥6,894
105.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98€31.66
$30.05¥4,811
23.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€87.8
$64.6¥10.3K
58.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€102
$60.5¥9,679
97.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526€1,307
$537¥86.0K
184.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,043
$293¥46.9K
315.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794€2,392
$1,038¥166.2K
169.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027€1,735
$699¥111.9K
190.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094€6,073
$6,288¥1.0M
12.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849€4,151
$2,673¥427.9K
81.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Fukuoka
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404€2,058
$1,547¥247.7K
55.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
1.67
102.99%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Fukuoka: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $537 in Fukuoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Barcelona pays 55% 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 $42.00 in Fukuoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $331, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Barcelona vs Fukuoka: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Fukuoka?
Barcelona and Fukuoka differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,306 including rent). Fukuoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Fukuoka?
Barcelona pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Fukuoka?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $537 in Fukuoka. 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 Fukuoka?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $424 in Fukuoka. 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 3% 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 $1,306 in Fukuoka versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fukuoka but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Fukuoka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Fukuoka?
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 Fukuoka safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Fukuoka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Fukuoka?
Expats usually find Fukuoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Barcelona vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado