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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,500 in Gyeongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,301 in Gyeongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $3,103 in Gyeongju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 57% more expensive than in Gyeongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Gyeongju 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$7.12 ₩10.2K

140.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$36.37 ₩52.3K

87.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$5.96 ₩8,572

128.86%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$4.02 ₩5,776

-30.85%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.82 ₩2,611

54.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.38 ₩1,992

42.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$3.65 ₩5,256

21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$6.04 ₩8,683

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.33 ₩3,355

-45.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$3.44 ₩4,953

-38.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.14 ₩4,518

-36.62%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$3.00 ₩4,316

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$10.66 ₩15.3K

77.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$8.19 ₩11.8K

16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$27.76 ₩39.9K

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$8.54 ₩12.3K

-68.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$3.21 ₩4,612

-26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$7.40 ₩10.6K

-71.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$5.19 ₩7,461

-47.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$5.18 ₩7,452

-62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$3.00 ₩4,312

-39.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.05 ₩2,944

-26.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.21 ₩1,740

-26.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$3.37 ₩4,847

101.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$13.68 ₩19.7K

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.67 ₩2,408

-17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$3.32 ₩4,768

-27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$1.10 ₩1,583

164.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$3.02 ₩4,339

51.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.80 ₩1,148

155.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$16.59 ₩23.9K

73.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.22 ₩1,749

49.18%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$28.1K ₩40.5M

39.72%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$24.7K ₩35.5M

31.72%

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

$187 €162

$191 ₩274.4K

-2.17%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$47.94 ₩69.0K

-53.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$27.57 ₩39.6K

31.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$48.66 ₩70.0K

18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$10.98 ₩15.8K

-1.91%

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

$725 €628

$483 ₩695.0K

50.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$14.2K ₩20.4M

7.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$103 ₩148.7K

-15.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$47.97 ₩69.0K

-23.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$86.7 ₩124.7K

19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$115 ₩165.7K

2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$454 ₩653.1K

235.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$369 ₩531.2K

232.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,069 ₩1.5M

155.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$768 ₩1.1M

158.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$7,159 ₩10.3M

4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$4,422 ₩6.4M

18.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,729 ₩2.5M

38.41%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $454 in Gyeongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 38% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Gyeongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $443, 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 57% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,500 including rent). Gyeongju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $454 in Gyeongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $483 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 $36.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,500 in Gyeongju versus $2,359 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 57% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.