Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Kostanay Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Kostanay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $967 in Kostanay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,401 in Kostanay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,836 in Kostanay.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 145% more expensive than Kostanay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Kostanay is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$7.71 ₸3,780

128.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$25.27 ₸12.4K

170.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$6.48 ₸3,176

116.98%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.29 ₸1,121

21.40%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.96 ₸469

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.80 ₸393

157.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.79 ₸879

149.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$3.34 ₸1,638

38.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.98 ₸481

26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.44 ₸216

361.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.16 ₸568

65.52%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.78 ₸873

85.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$8.12 ₸3,978

126.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$5.26 ₸2,575

80.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$8.00 ₸3,922

139.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.25 ₸614

111.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.00 ₸979

22.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.30 ₸636

63.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.31 ₸641

117.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.54 ₸265

277.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.24 ₸118

670.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.94 ₸458

56.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.92 ₸450

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$2.20 ₸1,079

224.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$7.80 ₸3,822

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.97 ₸473

42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.69 ₸1,316

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.30 ₸148

893.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$1.00 ₸490

360.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.07 ₸527

93.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$5.71 ₸2,797

411.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.49 ₸241

275.51%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.9K ₸14.2M

34.98%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$26.9K ₸13.2M

21.63%

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

$188 €162

$72.4 ₸35.5K

159.38%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$9.79 ₸4,797

134.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$11.18 ₸5,479

228.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$39.58 ₸19.4K

44.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

$17.76 ₸8,704

16.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$3.79 ₸1,859

195.25%

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

$721 €620

$183 ₸89.7K

293.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$5,805 ₸2.8M

159.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$105 ₸51.3K

-17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$56.3 ₸27.6K

-34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$116 ₸56.8K

-11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$101 ₸49.3K

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$381 ₸186.5K

302.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$328 ₸160.9K

271.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$529 ₸259.3K

409.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$427 ₸209.4K

371.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$1,102 ₸540.3K

554.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$864 ₸423.6K

500.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$605 ₸296.4K

290.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

18.5

-81.68%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $381 in Kostanay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 290% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Kostanay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $173 per month, with Kostanay 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 Kostanay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Kostanay differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $967 including rent). Kostanay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 290% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $381 in Kostanay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $183 in Kostanay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kostanay – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $967 in Kostanay versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kostanay but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Kostanay 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 Kostanay 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 Kostanay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.