Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gjilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gjilan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $647 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,007 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 259% more expensive than in Gjilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Gjilan is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$4.40 €3.85

301.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$20.06 €17.55

247.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$5.46 €4.78

159.34%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.43 €1.25

95.80%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.11 €0.97

153.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.93 €0.81

121.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$1.42 €1.24

223.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$1.42 €1.24

230.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.31 €1.15

-6.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.47 €0.41

331.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.36 €1.19

45.59%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.51 €1.32

131.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$6.03 €5.27

203.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$4.94 €4.32

98.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$10.36 €9.07

84.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.20 €1.05

127.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.59 €1.39

49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.45 €1.27

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.20 €1.05

129.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.85 €0.74

130.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.83 €0.72

115.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.73 €0.64

102.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.53 €0.46

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$3.38 €2.95

110.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$5.56 €4.87

41.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.89 €0.78

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.43 €1.25

67.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.60 €0.52

401.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.28 €1.99

91.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.50 €0.44

326.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$5.83 €5.10

407.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.54 €1.35

18.18%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$22.8K €20.0K

66.08%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$24.6K €21.5K

31.73%

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

$189 €165

$70.3 €61.5

169.04%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$10.66 €9.32

109.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$19.50 €17.06

90.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$17.41 €15.23

233.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$4.69 €4.10

131.77%

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

$706 €618

$168 €147

319.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$2,874 €2,514

417.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$38.98 €34.11

129.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$31.52 €27.58

16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$56.6 €49.49

83.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$83.7 €73.3

42.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$230 €201

587.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$173 €151

617.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$468 €410

479.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$343 €300

494.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$954 €834

689.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$715 €626

632.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$461 €404

412.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-15.25%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $230 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 412% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $162 per month, with Gjilan 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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gjilan differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $647 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 412% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $230 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $168 in Gjilan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gjilan – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $647 in Gjilan versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan 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 Gjilan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.