Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gongzhuling Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gongzhuling

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $584 in Gongzhuling.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $902 in Gongzhuling.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,220 in Gongzhuling.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 297% more expensive than in Gongzhuling, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Gongzhuling is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$1.90 ¥12.82

829.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$15.21 ¥103

358.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$4.08 ¥27.59

247.06%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.77 ¥11.96

58.19%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.43 ¥2.91

553.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.20 ¥1.35

930.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$0.68 ¥4.61

576.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$1.56 ¥10.53

200.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.22 ¥8.21

0.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.98 ¥13.41

2.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.98 ¥6.62

102.04%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.10 ¥7.42

217.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$7.00 ¥47.29

161.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$2.83 ¥19.13

247.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$8.17 ¥55.2

134.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$0.54 ¥3.63

405.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$0.66 ¥4.47

260.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.47 ¥3.15

342.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.44 ¥2.96

525.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.40 ¥2.72

390.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.50 ¥3.39

258.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.41 ¥2.76

260.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.55 ¥3.71

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.05 ¥20.58

133.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$10.25 ¥69.3

-23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.71 ¥4.81

94.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$0.97 ¥6.53

146.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.29 ¥1.97

937.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$16.68 ¥113

75.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.02 ¥6.89

327.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.35 ¥2.37

508.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$2.44 ¥16.48

1113.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.18 ¥7.98

54.24%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$18.2K ¥123.0K

108.19%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$15.1K ¥102.1K

114.34%

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

$189 €166

$26.54 ¥179

612.25%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$5.72 ¥38.63

289.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$9.85 ¥66.5

277.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$41.16 ¥278

40.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$13.82 ¥93.4

49.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$4.90 ¥33.10

121.84%

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

$706 €618

$383 ¥2,591

84.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$10.9K ¥73.3K

36.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$15.01 ¥101

495.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$21.12 ¥143

73.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$70.2 ¥474

48.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$41.81 ¥283

185.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$281 ¥1,899

461.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$184 ¥1,243

572.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$592 ¥4,001

358.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$361 ¥2,437

465.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$3,093 ¥20.9K

143.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,803 ¥12.2K

190.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$333 ¥2,252

609.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.5

-3.14%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gongzhuling: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $281 in Gongzhuling. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 609% 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 $15.00 in Gongzhuling for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $147 per month, with Gongzhuling 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 Gongzhuling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gongzhuling differ by about 297% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $584 including rent). Gongzhuling is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 609% 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 $281 in Gongzhuling. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $383 in Gongzhuling. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $584 in Gongzhuling versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gongzhuling but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gongzhuling 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 Gongzhuling 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 Gongzhuling gentler on the wallet – expenses run 297% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.