Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jeju Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jeju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $1,089 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,883 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,677 in Jeju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 127% more expensive than in Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Jeju is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$7.39 ₩10.2K

153.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$51.7 ₩71.3K

34.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$5.46 ₩7,521

152.20%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.72 ₩7,888

-45.80%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$2.18 ₩3,007

29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.91 ₩2,635

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$3.39 ₩4,665

17.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$3.05 ₩4,199

48.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.25 ₩3,095

-43.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.25 ₩3,107

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.19 ₩3,021

-19.63%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.66 ₩3,663

92.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.12 ₩2,916

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.99 ₩4,119

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.90 ₩2,614

11.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.19 ₩3,016

-29.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.43 ₩592

120.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$10.95 ₩15.1K

-26.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.91 ₩2,632

-19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$1.69 ₩2,327

65.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.95 ₩1,308

227.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.27 ₩1,754

36.22%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

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

$187 €163

$208 ₩286.5K

-10.01%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$54.4 ₩74.9K

-72.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$19.80 ₩27.3K

90.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

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

$997 €869

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$24.6K ₩33.9M

-32.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$52.1 ₩71.8K

77.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$29.94 ₩41.3K

37.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$65.0 ₩89.6K

71.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$90.8 ₩125.1K

37.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$466 ₩642.7K

266.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$375 ₩516.8K

242.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$1,331 ₩1.8M

92.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$1,172 ₩1.6M

65.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$10.3K ₩14.1M

-25.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$6,750 ₩9.3M

-23.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$1,854 ₩2.6M

26.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Jeju: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $466 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 27% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $52.0 in Jeju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $139 per month, with Jeju 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 Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Jeju differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $1,089 including rent). Jeju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $466 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeju – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $1,089 in Jeju – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,089 in Jeju versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Jeju 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 Jeju 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 Jeju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.