Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hella Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hella

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,637 in Hella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,843 in Hella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,048 in Hella.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 43% more expensive than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Hella 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$27.19 ISK 3,329

-35.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$147 ISK 17.9K

-53.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$22.26 ISK 2,726

-38.23%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$6.27 ISK 768

-55.98%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$3.29 ISK 402

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.50 ISK 306

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$12.92 ISK 1,582

-64.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$11.32 ISK 1,386

-59.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.93 ISK 237

-33.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$4.36 ISK 534

-51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.61 ISK 442

-45.43%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$6.31 ISK 773

-45.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$17.91 ISK 2,193

5.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$23.63 ISK 2,893

-60.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$42.77 ISK 5,237

-55.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$3.24 ISK 396

-16.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$2.42 ISK 296

-2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$3.11 ISK 381

-33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$4.87 ISK 596

-43.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.64 ISK 446

-45.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.39 ISK 293

-25.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$3.07 ISK 376

-50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.93 ISK 236

-53.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$13.41 ISK 1,642

-49.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$23.12 ISK 2,831

-67.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$3.64 ISK 445

-60.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.34 ISK 409

-27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$6.51 ISK 798

-31.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.52 ISK 308

-18.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

-66.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.57 ISK 314

-26.46%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

-19.60%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

-38.64%

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

$189 €161

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

111.16%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$27.34 ISK 3,347

-18.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

-57.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$17.63 ISK 2,159

-37.32%

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

$726 €622

$318 ISK 38.9K

128.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

-50.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$141 ISK 17.3K

-37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$60.6 ISK 7,420

-38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$182 ISK 22.3K

-43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$262 ISK 32.1K

-54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

9.63

-64.80%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hella: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $147 in Hella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $593 per month, with Barcelona 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 Hella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hella differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,637 including rent). Hella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $2,456 in Hella to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $318 in Hella. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hella – a meal for two runs $147 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,637 in Hella versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hella but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hella 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 Hella 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 Hella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.