Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Guelma

For one person, living is cheaper in Guelma: $522 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $23,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Guelma, Algeria
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Guelma
🇩🇿 Algeria
$522
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Guelma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Guelma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $522 in Guelma.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Guelma $522

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $850 in Guelma.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Guelma $850

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $1,179 in Guelma.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Guelma $1,179

Living in Barcelona is roughly 368% more expensive than in Guelma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Guelma is 61% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.69
$3.14 DZD 425
462.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €59.9
$17.36 DZD 2,347
288.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.09
$3.80 DZD 514
258.16%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.75
$0.63 DZD 85.2
392.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.67
$0.59 DZD 80.0
408.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.71
$0.26 DZD 35.39
642.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.41
$1.51 DZD 204
154.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.87
$2.14 DZD 289
103.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$0.84 DZD 114
48.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$0.15 DZD 20.21
1313.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.15 DZD 155
71.30%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.23
$1.18 DZD 160
303.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.16
$7.74 DZD 1,046
120.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.96
$3.86 DZD 522
132.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.34
$14.45 DZD 1,953
42.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$2.03 DZD 274
55.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.82 DZD 382
-30.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.10 DZD 149
140.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.56
$0.96 DZD 130
200.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$0.62 DZD 83.8
232.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$0.49 DZD 65.9
344.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.70 DZD 95.1
118.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.86
$0.27 DZD 36.69
259.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.19
$2.70 DZD 366
158.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.01
$6.54 DZD 884
20.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.24 DZD 168
14.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.91 DZD 259
40.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.94
$0.24 DZD 32.54
1279.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.75
$6.84 DZD 925
274.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.74
$0.53 DZD 72.0
481.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$0.43 DZD 58.4
244.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.20
$5.29 DZD 715
521.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$0.35 DZD 47.43
434.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.3K
$31.6K DZD 4.3M
4.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.4K
$34.4K DZD 4.7M
-7.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €162
$36.43 DZD 4,924
401.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.65
$9.42 DZD 1,273
51.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.70
$12.15 DZD 1,642
184.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.68
$22.47 DZD 3,037
128.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.55
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.83
$4.53 DZD 612
144.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €838
$340 DZD 45.9K
177.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.8K
$4,850 DZD 655.7K
359.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €77.9
$31.78 DZD 4,296
175.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.44
$34.46 DZD 4,659
12.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €92.9
$69.1 DZD 9,342
51.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$80.6 DZD 10.9K
45.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,507
$142 DZD 19.2K
1095.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,187
$92.1 DZD 12.5K
1350.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,391
$267 DZD 36.1K
908.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,845
$197 DZD 26.7K
952.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,356
$953 DZD 128.8K
650.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,512
$1,037 DZD 140.3K
389.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Guelma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,991
$300 DZD 40.5K
647.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
5.3
-39.81%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Guelma: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Guelma
$92 93.1% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Guelma
$173 47.1% $154
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Guelma
$59 77.8% $208
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Guelma
$58 75% $174
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Guelma
$97 38.1% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Guelma
$32 57.1% $42
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Guelma
$11 78.7% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $142 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 7.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $17 in Guelma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $173 per month, with Guelma cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇩🇿 Guelma
🕒 Local time
21:30 9:30 PM
21:30 9:30 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
120,847
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.4 USD). 1 EUR = 152 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.57 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Guelma 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Guelma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Guelma?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $522 in Guelma, so Guelma is about 79% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Guelma?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 7.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Guelma?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $142 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Guelma?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $340 in Guelma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $522 in Guelma versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Guelma?
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.
Is Barcelona or Guelma safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Guelma are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Guelma?
Expats usually find Guelma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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