Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Izola Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Izola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,701 in Izola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $2,591 in Izola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $3,482 in Izola.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 41% more expensive than Izola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Izola 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$11.40 €9.82

55.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$52.1 €44.88

34.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$9.34 €8.05

46.25%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$1.42 €1.22

92.96%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$3.43 €2.95

-18.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.79 €1.54

9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.39 €2.92

28.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$4.56 €3.93

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.23 €1.06

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.63 €1.40

25.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.34 €2.02

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.53 €2.18

33.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$13.36 €11.50

39.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$8.79 €7.57

8.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$14.72 €12.68

27.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.90 €1.63

44.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.83 €1.58

34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.80 €1.55

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$3.00 €2.58

-6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.24 €1.07

62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.40 €1.21

32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.13 €0.97

33.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.71 €0.61

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$5.94 €5.12

18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$5.44 €4.68

46.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.24 €1.07

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.25 €1.07

83.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$2.04 €1.76

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$32.02 €27.58

-11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$1.69 €1.46

159.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.27 €1.09

68.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$29.44 €25.35

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.70 €1.46

9.41%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$26.0K €22.4K

49.71%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$26.7K €23.0K

22.30%

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

$189 €163

$301 €259

-37.19%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$8.33 €7.17

172.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$33.17 €28.57

10.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$51.9 €44.68

10.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$7.86 €6.77

37.53%

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

$726 €625

$508 €438

42.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$8,627 €7,429

75.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$103 €88.5

-14.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$35.04 €30.17

5.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$121 €105

-14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$153 €132

-24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$742 €639

112.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$616 €530

98.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$1,315 €1,132

106.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$1,226 €1,056

60.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$4,630 €3,987

68.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$3,365 €2,898

56.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$1,697 €1,461

39.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.6

-5.83%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Izola: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $742 in Izola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 40% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $52.0 in Izola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $258 per month, with Izola 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 Izola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Izola differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $1,701 including rent). Izola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 40% 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $742 in Izola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $508 in Izola. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,701 in Izola versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Izola but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Izola 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 Izola 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 Izola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.