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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,619 in Hella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,788 in Hella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,958 in Hella.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 44% more expensive than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Hella 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$27.32 ISK 3,401

-37.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$144 ISK 18.0K

-52.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$22.68 ISK 2,823

-39.24%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$6.15 ISK 765

-55.12%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$3.35 ISK 417

-16.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.54 ISK 316

-21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$12.72 ISK 1,583

-65.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$11.15 ISK 1,388

-57.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.93 ISK 241

-33.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$4.19 ISK 522

-51.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$3.67 ISK 457

-45.78%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$6.31 ISK 786

-46.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$18.19 ISK 2,265

3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$24.53 ISK 3,053

-61.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$41.71 ISK 5,193

-54.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$3.36 ISK 418

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.51 ISK 312

-6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$3.04 ISK 378

-30.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$4.91 ISK 611

-41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$3.69 ISK 459

-46.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.42 ISK 301

-25.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$3.19 ISK 397

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.99 ISK 247

-56.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$13.60 ISK 1,693

-50.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$23.47 ISK 2,922

-66.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$3.72 ISK 463

-62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.34 ISK 415

-29.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$6.24 ISK 777

-28.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.66 ISK 331

-22.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

-65.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$2.43 ISK 302

-25.10%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

-18.25%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

-35.50%

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

$189 €163

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

111.79%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$27.68 ISK 3,446

-17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

-56.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$17.43 ISK 2,170

-37.92%

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

$728 €628

$316 ISK 39.4K

130.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

-50.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$141 ISK 17.5K

-37.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$61.1 ISK 7,609

-39.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$186 ISK 23.1K

-45.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$271 ISK 33.8K

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

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

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hella: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $144 in Hella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $597 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 44% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,619 including rent). Hella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $2,428 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 $728 in Barcelona versus $316 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 $144 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,619 in Hella versus $2,337 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 44% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.