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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,627 in Hella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,850 in Hella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $4,074 in Hella.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 45% more expensive than in Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Hella 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$26.50 ISK 3,276

-35.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$147 ISK 18.2K

-53.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$22.27 ISK 2,753

-38.75%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$6.01 ISK 743

-53.74%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$3.26 ISK 403

-13.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.52 ISK 312

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$12.63 ISK 1,561

-64.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$11.04 ISK 1,365

-58.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.94 ISK 240

-34.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$4.30 ISK 532

-50.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.74 ISK 462

-46.79%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$6.40 ISK 791

-47.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$18.20 ISK 2,250

4.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$24.23 ISK 2,995

-60.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$41.93 ISK 5,183

-55.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$3.22 ISK 398

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.54 ISK 314

-7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$3.04 ISK 375

-31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$4.95 ISK 612

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$3.55 ISK 439

-44.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.31 ISK 286

-21.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$3.13 ISK 387

-51.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.95 ISK 241

-54.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$13.41 ISK 1,658

-49.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$22.81 ISK 2,820

-65.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$3.55 ISK 439

-61.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$3.36 ISK 416

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$6.49 ISK 803

-29.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$2.61 ISK 323

-21.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

-66.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$2.47 ISK 305

-26.32%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

-18.40%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

-38.32%

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

$187 €162

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

110.43%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$27.34 ISK 3,380

-18.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

-56.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$17.86 ISK 2,208

-39.70%

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

$725 €628

$317 ISK 39.1K

129.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

-49.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$140 ISK 17.4K

-37.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$62.7 ISK 7,748

-41.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$181 ISK 22.4K

-42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$261 ISK 32.2K

-54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $147 in Hella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $594 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 45% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,627 including rent). Hella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $2,440 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 $725 in Barcelona versus $317 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,627 in Hella versus $2,359 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 45% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.