😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $428 in Karak.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $625 in Karak.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $822 in Karak.
🌍Living in Barcelona is roughly 483% more expensive than in Karak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Karak is 69% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.39€15.83
$0.75PKR 207
2352.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2€59.5
$7.31PKR 2,027
846.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.13€12.16
$5.51PKR 1,527
156.44%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.75PKR 207
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.78PKR 1,879
-
Cappuccino
$3.13€2.70
$0.56PKR 155
458.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02€2.59
$0.36PKR 98.9
738.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96€1.69
$0.22PKR 60.7
790.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.00€3.44
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76€4.10
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.25€1.07
$0.94PKR 261
32.98%
White Bread(500g)
$2.16€1.86
$0.57PKR 157
278.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.69€1.45
$1.09PKR 302
55.05%
Eggs
$4.93€4.24
$1.11PKR 308
344.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.88€15.39
$1.77PKR 490
910.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.61€8.27
$2.87PKR 795
234.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.34€16.64
$4.35PKR 1,205
344.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24€2.78
$0.69PKR 191
369.57%
Banana(1kg)
$2.18€1.87
$0.52PKR 144
319.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67€2.30
$0.73PKR 203
265.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.77€2.39
$0.48PKR 134
477.08%
Potato(1kg)
$2.21€1.90
$0.29PKR 81.1
662.07%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19€1.88
$0.32PKR 89.6
584.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.52€1.31
$0.16PKR 43.33
850.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92€0.79
$0.26PKR 72.7
253.85%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.85PKR 512
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.33PKR 368
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.44PKR 676
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.12€6.13
$2.30PKR 638
209.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.14€7.00
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50€1.29
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.39
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.15€2.71
$0.16PKR 45.06
1868.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.99€23.23
$8.59PKR 2,383
214.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.25€2.80
$1.28PKR 355
153.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.50€1.29
$0.73PKR 203
105.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.89€30.03
$1.58PKR 437
2108.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.75€1.50
$1.25PKR 347
40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K€31.5K
$21.9KPKR 6.1M
67.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K€26.6K
$25.5KPKR 7.1M
21.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188€161
$103PKR 28.5K
82.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.44€13.29
$5.81PKR 1,611
165.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.80€32.52
$16.19PKR 4,489
133.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.2€49.21
$16.60PKR 4,601
244.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80€14.45
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.58€9.96
$4.78PKR 1,326
142.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,003€863
$75.3PKR 20.9K
1231.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.0K€14.6K
$996PKR 276.1K
1608.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.2€76.8
$23.90PKR 6,626
273.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.87€35.17
$31.81PKR 8,819
28.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110€94.6
$81.8PKR 22.7K
34.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123€106
$39.51PKR 11.0K
210.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,673€1,440
$130PKR 35.9K
1191.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,331€1,146
$84.3PKR 23.4K
1478.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,596€2,234
$285PKR 79.0K
810.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,950€1,678
$155PKR 43.0K
1156.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,573€6,517
$804PKR 222.9K
841.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,370€4,621
$585PKR 162.2K
817.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Karak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,402€2,067
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.16
13.08
-75.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026
Last update for Karak: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $130 in Karak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $7.00 in Karak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $74.0 per month, with Karak 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 Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Karak?
Barcelona and Karak differ by about 483% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $428 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Karak?
You'd need roughly $3,743 in Barcelona and $642 in Karak to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Karak?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $130 in Karak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Karak?
Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $75.3 in Karak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 349% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $428 in Karak versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Karak but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Karak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Karak?
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.
Is Barcelona or Karak safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Karak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Karak?
Expats usually find Karak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 483% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.