Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ha'il

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha’il: $1,073 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Ha'il
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,073
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Ha'il

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 Ha'il actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $1,073 in Ha’il.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Ha'il $1,073

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $1,623 in Ha’il.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Ha'il $1,623

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $2,174 in Ha’il.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Ha'il $2,174

Living in Barcelona is roughly 128% more expensive than in Ha’il, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Ha’il is 21% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.72
$5.40 SAR 20.28
227.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.1
$36.86 SAR 138
83.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.12
$5.91 SAR 22.17
130.29%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.17 SAR 4.38
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.22 SAR 8.32
-
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.76
$2.60 SAR 9.77
19.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.67
$0.61 SAR 2.30
391.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$0.23 SAR 0.86
739.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.42
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.88
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.69 SAR 6.34
-26.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$0.86 SAR 3.21
146.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.88 SAR 7.05
4.79%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.24
$1.93 SAR 7.26
146.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.20
$6.68 SAR 25.08
155.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.97
$8.88 SAR 33.31
0.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.39
$8.15 SAR 30.58
153.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$1.49 SAR 5.59
112.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.52 SAR 5.70
29.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.27 SAR 4.77
108.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$1.94 SAR 7.28
48.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$1.29 SAR 4.85
59.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.61 SAR 6.05
35.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.37
$1.23 SAR 4.61
24.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.86
$0.48 SAR 1.79
102.08%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.64 SAR 9.92
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.72 SAR 6.47
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.81 SAR 6.78
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.20
$6.77 SAR 25.42
2.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.02
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.39
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.95
$0.91 SAR 3.43
263.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.80
$36.03 SAR 135
-28.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.75
$2.67 SAR 10.04
15.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.77 SAR 6.65
-16.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.27
$13.27 SAR 49.82
147.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$0.64 SAR 2.41
192.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.4K
$31.0K SAR 116.5K
6.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.4K
$21.8K SAR 81.8K
46.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$52.8 SAR 198
246.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.68
$21.29 SAR 79.9
-33.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.78
$45.84 SAR 172
-24.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.79
$66.0 SAR 248
-22.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.59
$26.26 SAR 98.6
-37.62%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.85
$14.67 SAR 55.1
-24.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €840
$419 SAR 1,571
125.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.8K
$12.1K SAR 45.5K
83.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.1
$42.92 SAR 161
104.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.52
$55.5 SAR 208
-30.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.1
$97.9 SAR 367
6.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$83.5 SAR 313
40.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,511
$241 SAR 904
604.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,190
$406 SAR 1,525
228.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,397
$361 SAR 1,355
645.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,849
$618 SAR 2,321
235.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,371
$1,982 SAR 7,437
261.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,522
$1,201 SAR 4,507
322.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Ha'il
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,996
$1,081 SAR 4,056
107.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
5.54
-42.42%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Ha'il
$406 69.6% $930
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Ha'il
$179 45.5% $149
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Ha'il
$96 64.2% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Ha'il
$120 48.2% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Ha'il
$126 19.8% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Ha'il
$95 29.6% $22
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Ha'il
$51 3.8% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $241 in Ha’il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 2.1 times 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: $67 in Barcelona vs $37 in Ha’il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $179 per month, with Ha’il cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇸🇦 Ha'il
🕒 Local time
07:59 7:59 AM
09:59 9:59 AM
2 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
310,897
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Ha'il 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Ha'il

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 Ha'il: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Ha’il?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $1,073 in Ha’il, so Ha’il is about 56% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Ha’il?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 2.1 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 Ha’il?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $241 in Ha’il. 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 Ha’il?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $419 in Ha’il. 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 83% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ha’il is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Ha’il?
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 Ha’il safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Ha’il are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Ha’il?
It comes down to priorities – Ha’il wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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