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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,627 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,411 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,195 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 45% more expensive than Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$15.31 €13.18

14.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$57.3 €49.30

19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$10.36 €8.92

35.71%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.15 €1.85

29.30%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.35 €2.02

19.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.78 €1.53

15.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.31 €2.85

34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$3.51 €3.03

31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.19 €1.03

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.42 €1.22

42.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.68 €1.44

14.29%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.89 €2.49

14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$13.37 €11.51

37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$8.19 €7.05

15.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$14.98 €12.90

27.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.47 €2.12

6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.00 €1.72

22.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.95 €1.68

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.56 €2.21

11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.71 €1.47

19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.05 €1.77

-9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.31 €1.13

12.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.71 €0.61

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$6.39 €5.50

11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$5.68 €4.89

38.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.21 €1.04

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.13 €1.84

8.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.71 €1.47

74.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$33.68 €29.00

-13.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.98 €3.43

15.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.26 €1.09

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$24.99 €21.52

16.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.82 €1.57

1.10%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$38.9K €33.5K

0.22%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$30.6K €26.4K

6.84%

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

$188 €162

$135 €117

38.77%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$20.46 €17.62

12.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$31.55 €27.17

16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$47.12 €40.58

21.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$14.94 €12.87

38.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$9.02 €7.76

24.06%

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

$721 €621

$402 €346

79.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$8,239 €7,095

82.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$83.5 €71.9

3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$35.52 €30.59

4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$88.8 €76.5

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$109 €93.8

6.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$861 €741

78.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$690 €595

76.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,307 €1,125

106.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,005 €866

100.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$3,393 €2,922

112.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$2,289 €1,971

126.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $57.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $260 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 45% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,627 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 $3,550 in Barcelona and $2,440 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $402 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 22% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,627 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,500 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 45% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.