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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $791 in Gence.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,304 in Gence.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,816 in Gence.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 196% more expensive than Gence, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Gence is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$5.27 ₼8.96

234.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$39.00 ₼66.3

76.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$5.81 ₼9.88

136.66%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.66 ₼4.53

3.76%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.12 ₼1.91

148.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.61 ₼1.03

236.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$1.34 ₼2.28

244.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.69 ₼4.56

70.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.80 ₼3.06

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.45 ₼0.76

368.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.67 ₼2.83

17.96%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.08 ₼3.53

65.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$3.02 ₼5.13

523.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$3.55 ₼6.03

166.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$7.60 ₼12.92

150.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.16 ₼1.97

134.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.51 ₼2.57

56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.42 ₼4.11

-14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$1.27 ₼2.16

117.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.74 ₼1.25

166.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.55 ₼0.94

225.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.60 ₼1.03

151.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.43 ₼0.73

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$3.80 ₼6.47

77.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$1.45 ₼2.46

420.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.25 ₼2.13

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.77 ₼3.02

36.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.28 ₼0.47

982.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$14.42 ₼24.51

96.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$1.78 ₼3.02

148.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$2.29 ₼3.90

1180.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.75 ₼1.28

152.00%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$21.0K ₼35.7K

84.49%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$22.4K ₼38.1K

44.26%

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

$189 €161

$58.4 ₼99.3

222.87%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$14.50 ₼24.65

53.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$18.62 ₼31.66

97.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$20.46 ₼34.78

183.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$23.97 ₼40.74

-12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$5.91 ₼10.04

86.97%

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

$726 €622

$236 ₼401

208.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$6,000 ₼10.2K

153.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$89.6 ₼152

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$70.4 ₼120

-47.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$146 ₼248

-29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$179 ₼305

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$354 ₼602

330.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$173 ₼295

602.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$587 ₼997

376.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$358 ₼609

465.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$824 ₼1,400

761.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$475 ₼807

921.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$297 ₼505

708.87%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gence: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $354 in Gence. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 709% 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 $39.00 in Gence for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $141 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 196% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $791 including rent). Gence is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 709% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $354 in Gence. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $236 in Gence. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $791 in Gence versus $2,341 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 196% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.