Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $630 in Khon Kaen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,052 in Khon Kaen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,473 in Khon Kaen.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 293% more expensive than in Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Khon Kaen is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$3.04 ฿101

516.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$30.43 ฿1,012

128.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$5.96 ฿198

131.04%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.52 ฿50.7

103.95%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.63 ฿21.06

349.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.28 ฿9.16

571.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.82 ฿60.7

118.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$6.60 ฿219

-31.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.89 ฿29.57

97.75%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.47 ฿82.1

107.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.92 ฿30.63

142.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.50 ฿49.79

73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.54 ฿51.2

37.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.61 ฿20.39

154.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.49 ฿16.42

93.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.69 ฿56.3

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.17 ฿39.04

26.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.26 ฿41.94

37.30%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$45.6K ฿1.5M

-20.19%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$27.2K ฿905.8K

12.12%

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

$187 €163

$95.3 ฿3,168

96.39%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$18.02 ฿599

-15.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$30.08 ฿1,000

25.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$60.8 ฿2,022

-7.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$6.11 ฿203

86.74%

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

$997 €868

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$8,895 ฿295.7K

85.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$29.89 ฿994

209.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$35.66 ฿1,186

15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$76.7 ฿2,551

44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$91.9 ฿3,055

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$287 ฿9,529

495.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$160 ฿5,316

704.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$750 ฿24.9K

242.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$491 ฿16.3K

295.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

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 Khon Kaen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $287 in Khon Kaen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $30.00 in Khon Kaen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $45.00 per month, with Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Khon Kaen differ by about 293% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $630 including rent). Khon Kaen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,714 in Barcelona and $945 in Khon Kaen 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $287 in Khon Kaen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khon Kaen – a meal for two runs $30.00 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 $630 in Khon Kaen – a 293% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Khon Kaen versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khon Kaen but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 293% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.