Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,513 in Gongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,375 in Gongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,237 in Gongju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 55% more expensive than Gongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Gongju 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$7.06 ₩10.5K

149.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$36.91 ₩54.7K

86.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$5.90 ₩8,748

133.05%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$4.22 ₩6,264

-34.60%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.87 ₩2,779

48.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.39 ₩2,059

47.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$3.71 ₩5,498

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$5.98 ₩8,867

-23.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.34 ₩3,467

-45.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.54 ₩5,256

-40.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.11 ₩4,616

-36.66%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.89 ₩4,290

19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$10.53 ₩15.6K

78.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$8.41 ₩12.5K

12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$27.77 ₩41.2K

-31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$8.49 ₩12.6K

-67.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$3.12 ₩4,624

-24.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$7.43 ₩11.0K

-72.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$5.18 ₩7,681

-46.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$5.21 ₩7,729

-62.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.92 ₩4,324

-38.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.10 ₩3,121

-28.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.20 ₩1,781

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$3.39 ₩5,022

99.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$17.24 ₩25.6K

-56.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.71 ₩2,534

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.37 ₩4,994

-28.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.06 ₩1,574

185.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$3.56 ₩5,281

24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.79 ₩1,173

159.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$16.74 ₩24.8K

75.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.22 ₩1,817

54.92%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$27.9K ₩41.3M

39.03%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$24.5K ₩36.4M

31.82%

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

$189 €161

$188 ₩279.0K

0.26%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$49.50 ₩73.4K

-55.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$27.76 ₩41.2K

32.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$47.01 ₩69.7K

23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$11.43 ₩16.9K

-3.32%

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

$726 €622

$496 ₩735.4K

46.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$14.3K ₩21.2M

6.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$104 ₩153.9K

-14.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$47.40 ₩70.3K

-21.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$87.8 ₩130.2K

16.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$118 ₩175.5K

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$452 ₩669.9K

238.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$370 ₩549.0K

229.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,059 ₩1.6M

163.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$762 ₩1.1M

166.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$9,654 ₩14.3M

-26.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$5,717 ₩8.5M

-15.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,168 ₩1.7M

105.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.22

-19.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gongju: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $452 in Gongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 106% 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 $37.00 in Gongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $451, with Barcelona 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 Gongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gongju differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,513 including rent). Gongju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 106% 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 $452 in Gongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $496 in Gongju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gongju – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,513 in Gongju versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gongju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gongju 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 Gongju 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 Gongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.