Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gran Canaria, Canary Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $1,598 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $2,348 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $3,098 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 56% more expensive than in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$14.95 €12.86

23.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$57.7 €49.64

19.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$10.36 €8.92

36.39%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$2.16 €1.86

44.91%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$2.41 €2.07

25.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.76 €1.51

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$3.41 €2.93

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.51 €3.02

35.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.15 €0.99

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.42 €1.22

52.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.65 €1.42

2.42%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$2.89 €2.49

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$13.70 €11.79

30.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$8.15 €7.01

17.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$15.01 €12.92

28.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$2.45 €2.11

32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.00 €1.72

9.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.00 €1.72

33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.68 €2.31

3.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.76 €1.52

25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.01 €1.73

8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.33 €1.15

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.75 €0.65

22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$6.45 €5.55

10.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$5.78 €4.97

40.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.25 €1.07

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.13 €1.83

30.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$1.67 €1.44

88.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

$34.30 €29.52

-21.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.96 €3.41

-17.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.21 €1.04

23.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

$24.90 €21.43

40.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.79 €1.54

-2.23%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$38.2K €32.9K

-4.00%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$30.4K €26.1K

1.84%

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

$188 €161

$135 €116

38.65%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$20.91 €18.00

-26.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$31.41 €27.03

20.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$47.42 €40.80

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

$15.10 €12.99

11.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$9.20 €7.92

25.87%

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

$1,003 €863

$399 €344

151.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$8,086 €6,958

110.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$85.9 €73.9

3.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$34.61 €29.78

18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$89.5 €77.0

22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$110 €94.7

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$842 €724

98.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$702 €604

89.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$1,307 €1,125

98.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$1,013 €871

92.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

$3,284 €2,826

130.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

$2,306 €1,984

132.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.5

-9.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $842 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $58.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $262 per month, with Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gran Canaria, Canary Islands differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $1,598 including rent). Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,743 in Barcelona and $2,397 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $842 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $399 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,598 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.