Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $765 in Karaganda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,221 in Karaganda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,678 in Karaganda.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 214% more expensive than Karaganda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Karaganda is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$8.47 ₸4,132

108.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$29.82 ₸14.5K

134.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$4.91 ₸2,397

178.21%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$1.91 ₸932

43.46%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.65 ₸318

329.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.46 ₸226

326.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$0.96 ₸469

354.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.99 ₸1,460

53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.01 ₸491

27.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.44 ₸212

365.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.28 ₸627

54.69%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.71 ₸834

98.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$9.45 ₸4,608

97.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$4.21 ₸2,052

127.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$7.00 ₸3,416

169.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.31 ₸638

109.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.45 ₸707

70.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.97 ₸960

6.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.99 ₸970

41.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.55 ₸270

267.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.37 ₸181

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.01 ₸490

49.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.74 ₸361

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$1.78 ₸869

296.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$7.72 ₸3,767

3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.95 ₸464

50.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.63 ₸796

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.21 ₸104

1271.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$11.80 ₸5,757

140.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$1.78 ₸867

146.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.45 ₸220

375.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$4.31 ₸2,099

576.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$0.45 ₸217

313.33%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$19.5K ₸9.5M

99.92%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.8K ₸12.1M

31.80%

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

$189 €163

$53.6 ₸26.1K

253.13%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$8.14 ₸3,967

178.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$13.05 ₸6,365

179.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$32.15 ₸15.7K

79.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$11.76 ₸5,735

81.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$4.40 ₸2,147

145.68%

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

$726 €625

$241 ₸117.4K

201.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$4,899 ₸2.4M

208.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$55.7 ₸27.2K

57.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$34.85 ₸17.0K

5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$87.2 ₸42.5K

18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$84.8 ₸41.4K

37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$326 ₸158.9K

382.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$213 ₸104.0K

472.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$586 ₸285.9K

362.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$401 ₸195.8K

389.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$958 ₸467.0K

715.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$649 ₸316.6K

711.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$534 ₸260.3K

344.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

16.12

-78.97%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $326 in Karaganda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 345% 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 $30.00 in Karaganda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $169 per month, with Karaganda 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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Karaganda differ by about 214% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $765 including rent). Karaganda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 345% 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 $326 in Karaganda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $241 in Karaganda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $765 in Karaganda versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaganda but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Karaganda 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 Karaganda 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 Karaganda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 214% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.