Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gence Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gence

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $801 in Gence.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,291 in Gence.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,781 in Gence.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 194% more expensive than in Gence, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Gence is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.96

$5.17 ₼8.79

231.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.3

$38.00 ₼64.6

79.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.89

$5.63 ₼9.57

142.27%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.42

$2.67 ₼4.53

4.12%

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

$2.82 €2.46

$1.07 ₼1.82

163.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.62 ₼1.05

216.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.86

$1.30 ₼2.21

240.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.01

$2.73 ₼4.64

68.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.78 ₼3.02

-28.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.42 ₼0.71

407.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.66 ₼2.83

19.88%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.93

$2.11 ₼3.58

59.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.53

$3.02 ₼5.14

527.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.31

$3.60 ₼6.11

164.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.33

$7.62 ₼12.95

145.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$1.16 ₼1.98

128.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.44 ₼2.45

63.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$2.28 ₼3.88

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.31 ₼2.23

108.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.69 ₼1.17

184.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.58

$0.52 ₼0.88

248.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.57 ₼0.96

164.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.43 ₼0.73

106.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.91

$3.92 ₼6.66

72.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.90

$1.44 ₼2.45

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.25 ₼2.13

9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$1.71 ₼2.91

40.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.54

$0.28 ₼0.48

939.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.98

$14.96 ₼25.43

91.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.99

$1.80 ₼3.07

154.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €25.03

$2.31 ₼3.93

1143.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.75 ₼1.27

142.67%

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

$39.3K €34.3K

$20.3K ₼34.5K

93.87%

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

$32.5K €28.3K

$22.2K ₼37.7K

46.29%

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

$187 €163

$58.0 ₼98.6

221.72%

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

$22.29 €19.43

$14.95 ₼25.40

49.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.71

$19.15 ₼32.54

89.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €50.2

$20.90 ₼35.51

175.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.08

$23.74 ₼40.34

-12.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.39

$5.98 ₼10.17

80.10%

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

$725 €632

$233 ₼397

210.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$5,956 ₼10.1K

154.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.6

$86.7 ₼147

1.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €32.09

$71.2 ₼121

-48.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.2

$147 ₼251

-29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$177 ₼301

-32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,328

$348 ₼592

337.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,070

$174 ₼296

604.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,378

$598 ₼1,016

356.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,730

$355 ₼604

458.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,511

$813 ₼1,381

818.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,571

$474 ₼806

1005.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,086

$299 ₼509

699.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-57.62%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gence: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $348 in Gence. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 699% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $38.00 in Gence for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $140 per month, with Gence 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 Gence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gence differ by about 194% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $801 including rent). Gence is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 699% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $348 in Gence. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $233 in Gence. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $801 in Gence versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gence but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gence 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 Gence 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 Gence gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.