Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gyeongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gyeongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,467 in Gyeongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,313 in Gyeongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,159 in Gyeongju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 60% more expensive than Gyeongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Gyeongju 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$7.34 ₩10.9K

139.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$36.51 ₩54.2K

88.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$6.04 ₩8,966

127.65%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$4.23 ₩6,271

-34.75%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.79 ₩2,657

55.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.34 ₩1,982

52.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$3.58 ₩5,316

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$5.94 ₩8,805

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.33 ₩3,449

-45.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.49 ₩5,179

-39.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.04 ₩4,505

-35.20%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.92 ₩4,338

17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$10.43 ₩15.5K

80.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$8.04 ₩11.9K

17.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$28.01 ₩41.5K

-32.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$8.58 ₩12.7K

-68.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$3.21 ₩4,765

-26.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$7.60 ₩11.3K

-72.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$5.12 ₩7,597

-46.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$5.19 ₩7,699

-62.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.95 ₩4,369

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.01 ₩2,979

-24.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.17 ₩1,730

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$3.24 ₩4,802

108.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$13.78 ₩20.4K

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.75 ₩2,592

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.31 ₩4,906

-27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.07 ₩1,589

183.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.99 ₩4,430

48.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.80 ₩1,191

156.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$16.52 ₩24.5K

77.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.21 ₩1,801

56.20%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$27.8K ₩41.2M

39.38%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$25.0K ₩37.1M

29.46%

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

$189 €161

$187 ₩277.0K

0.98%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$47.04 ₩69.8K

-52.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$27.13 ₩40.2K

35.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$48.27 ₩71.6K

20.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$10.99 ₩16.3K

0.55%

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

$726 €622

$492 ₩729.6K

47.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$14.1K ₩20.8M

8.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$105 ₩155.6K

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$46.66 ₩69.2K

-20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$88.9 ₩131.9K

15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$119 ₩175.8K

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$459 ₩680.8K

232.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$373 ₩553.0K

226.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,044 ₩1.5M

167.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$781 ₩1.2M

159.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$8,580 ₩12.7M

-17.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$5,395 ₩8.0M

-10.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,692 ₩2.5M

42.05%

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 Gyeongju: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $459 in Gyeongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 42% 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 Gyeongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $442, 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 Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gyeongju differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,467 including rent). Gyeongju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 42% 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 $459 in Gyeongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $492 in Gyeongju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyeongju – 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 $1,467 in Gyeongju versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyeongju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gyeongju 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 Gyeongju 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 Gyeongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.