Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Isfahan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Isfahan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $478 in Isfahan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $833 in Isfahan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,188 in Isfahan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 395% more expensive than Isfahan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Isfahan is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$3.02 $3.02

482.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$10.65 $10.65

542.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$3.03 $3.03

364.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 $1.03

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$0.82 $0.82

239.02%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.48 $0.48

483.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.94 $0.94

119.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.55 $0.55

125.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$0.42 $0.42

383.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.28 $2.28

-15.79%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.50 $1.50

120.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$2.81 $2.81

555.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$3.11 $3.11

205.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$9.98 $9.98

91.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.63 $0.63

319.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.41 $1.41

73.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.05 $1.05

101.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.56 $0.56

408.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.61 $0.61

234.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.48 $0.48

285.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.58 $0.58

153.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.21 $0.21

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 $0.52

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 $0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$2.08 $2.08

243.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.29 $0.29

927.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

$13.06 $13.06

124.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$0.52 $0.52

784.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.31 $0.31

567.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$1.97 $1.97

1381.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.84 $0.84

119.05%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$67.9K $67.9K

-42.51%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$59.8K $59.8K

-45.28%

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

$188 €162

$14.84 $14.84

1165.63%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$1.87 $1.87

1126.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$7.62 $7.62

381.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$13.36 $13.36

329.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$10.70 $10.70

93.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$1.09 $1.09

926.61%

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

$721 €621

$71.9 $71.9

902.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$579 $579

2496.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$18.06 $18.06

377.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$24.12 $24.12

53.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$85.8 $85.8

18.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$36.61 $36.61

216.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$291 $291

427.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$193 $193

532.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$899 $899

199.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$532 $532

278.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$1,200 $1,200

501.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$717 $717

623.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$207 $207

1038.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

26.86

-87.38%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Isfahan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $291 in Isfahan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1038% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $11.00 in Isfahan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $105 per month, with Isfahan 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 Isfahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Isfahan differ by about 395% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $478 including rent). Isfahan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1038% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $291 in Isfahan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $71.9 in Isfahan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 202% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $478 in Isfahan versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isfahan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Isfahan 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 Isfahan 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 Isfahan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 395% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.