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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,335 in Jeju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $2,303 in Jeju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $3,270 in Jeju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 74% more expensive than in Jeju, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Jeju 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$6.57 ₩9,697

168.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$51.8 ₩76.5K

34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$4.08 ₩6,026

247.06%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$5.34 ₩7,878

-47.57%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.33 ₩3,438

20.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.71 ₩1,046

190.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$3.99 ₩5,892

15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$5.93 ₩8,748

-20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$2.12 ₩3,120

-41.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.19 ₩3,227

-7.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.25 ₩3,321

-12.00%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.56 ₩3,780

36.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$10.31 ₩15.2K

77.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$8.41 ₩12.4K

16.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$27.81 ₩41.0K

-31.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$8.00 ₩11.8K

-65.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$3.25 ₩4,791

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$5.60 ₩8,267

-62.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$5.39 ₩7,947

-48.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.88 ₩4,252

-31.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.86 ₩2,742

-3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.17 ₩3,195

-31.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.42 ₩621

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.38 ₩4,986

110.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$16.52 ₩24.4K

-52.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.80 ₩2,655

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.60 ₩2,362

49.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.91 ₩1,341

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.50 ₩3,691

74.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.53 ₩775

301.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$9.01 ₩13.3K

228.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.22 ₩1,803

49.18%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$27.3K ₩40.3M

38.61%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$24.8K ₩36.6M

30.60%

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

$189 €166

$158 ₩233.0K

19.68%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$35.45 ₩52.3K

-37.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$19.12 ₩28.2K

94.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$36.71 ₩54.2K

58.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$10.93 ₩16.1K

-0.55%

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

$706 €618

$367 ₩540.8K

92.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$24.9K ₩36.7M

-40.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$50.5 ₩74.5K

77.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$29.60 ₩43.7K

23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$64.6 ₩95.3K

61.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$86.8 ₩128.0K

37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$482 ₩710.9K

227.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$400 ₩589.9K

209.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$1,009 ₩1.5M

168.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$1,130 ₩1.7M

80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$8,269 ₩12.2M

-8.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$5,103 ₩7.5M

2.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$1,678 ₩2.5M

40.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.14

-18.12%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jeju: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $482 in Jeju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 41% 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 Jeju. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $399, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 74% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,335 including rent). Jeju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $482 in Jeju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $367 in Jeju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeju – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,335 in Jeju versus $2,320 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 74% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.