Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hawalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hawalli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,130 in Hawalli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $3,037 in Hawalli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $4,944 in Hawalli.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 107% more expensive than Hawalli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Hawalli is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$4.80 KWD 1.48

255.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$67.7 KWD 20.81

2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.85 KWD 2.72

55.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$4.39 KWD 1.35

-37.13%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.56 KWD 0.17

398.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.34 KWD 0.11

485.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.28 KWD 0.39

60.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.76 KWD 0.54

13.07%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.11 KWD 0.65

60.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$3.24 KWD 1.00

480.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$3.35 KWD 1.03

179.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$5.75 KWD 1.77

232.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.33 KWD 0.72

15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.98 KWD 0.61

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.74 KWD 0.54

21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.45 KWD 0.44

96.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.27 KWD 0.39

55.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.26 KWD 0.39

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-9.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.32 KWD 0.10

168.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.89 KWD 0.89

134.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.79 KWD 0.24

269.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$48.85 KWD 15.01

-41.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.36 KWD 1.03

32.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$16.19 KWD 4.97

82.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.33 KWD 0.10

451.52%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$21.2K KWD 6,519

82.98%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$19.8K KWD 6,078

67.29%

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

$189 €163

$62.3 KWD 19.15

203.55%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$18.50 KWD 5.68

23.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$25.37 KWD 7.79

48.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$48.99 KWD 15.05

17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$45.77 KWD 14.06

-54.69%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$9.67 KWD 2.97

11.89%

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

$728 €628

$400 KWD 123

81.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$6,668 KWD 2,048

121.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$32.22 KWD 9.90

175.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$42.08 KWD 12.93

-12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$89.4 KWD 27.48

14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$80.6 KWD 24.76

44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$582 KWD 179

169.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$489 KWD 150

149.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$963 KWD 296

190.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$3,326 KWD 1,022

-40.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,888 KWD 580

24.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.14

-52.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hawalli: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $582 in Hawalli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 24% 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 $68.0 in Hawalli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $143 per month, with Hawalli 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 Hawalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hawalli differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,130 including rent). Hawalli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 24% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $582 in Hawalli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $400 in Hawalli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,130 in Hawalli versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawalli but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hawalli 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 Hawalli 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 Hawalli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.