Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Kurume

For one person, living is cheaper in Kurume: $972 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Kurume, Japan
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Kurume
🇯🇵 Japan
$972
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Kurume

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Kurume actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $972 in Kurume.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Kurume $972

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $1,538 in Kurume.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Kurume $1,538

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $2,104 in Kurume.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Kurume $2,104

Living in Barcelona is roughly 151% more expensive than in Kurume, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Kurume is 28% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.72
$4.28 ¥673
312.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.1
$42.69 ¥6,724
58.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.12
$3.72 ¥585
265.86%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.76
$1.88 ¥296
64.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.67
$0.67 ¥105
347.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$0.50 ¥78.4
286.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.42
$3.22 ¥508
19.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.88
$1.62 ¥255
169.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.24 ¥195
0.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.24 ¥195
70.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$5.01 ¥789
-60.68%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.24
$1.95 ¥307
144.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.20
$18.33 ¥2,886
-6.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.97
$5.45 ¥859
64.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.39
$18.76 ¥2,955
10.07%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$3.72 ¥586
-15.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.79 ¥281
10.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$2.81 ¥442
-5.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$3.30 ¥520
-12.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.14 ¥337
-3.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.56 ¥403
-14.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.37
$1.03 ¥162
48.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.86
$0.97 ¥153
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.20
$3.54 ¥557
96.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.02
$6.27 ¥987
25.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.73 ¥272
-17.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.09 ¥171
146.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.95
$1.50 ¥237
120.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.80
$56.3 ¥8,859
-54.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.75
$4.13 ¥650
-25.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$2.31 ¥363
-35.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.27
$18.02 ¥2,838
82.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$0.64 ¥101
192.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.4K
$22.9K ¥3.6M
44.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.4K
$15.1K ¥2.4M
111.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$212 ¥33.3K
-13.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.68
$25.14 ¥3,959
-43.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.78
$23.28 ¥3,667
48.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.79
$51.3 ¥8,073
0.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.59
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.85
$7.06 ¥1,112
56.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €840
$687 ¥108.2K
37.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.8K
$12.2K ¥1.9M
82.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.1
$49.09 ¥7,731
78.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.52
$12.69 ¥1,999
205.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.1
$25.08 ¥3,950
316.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$31.91 ¥5,025
268.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,511
$557 ¥87.8K
204.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,190
$125 ¥19.7K
971.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,397
$484 ¥76.2K
456.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,849
$317 ¥49.9K
555.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,371
$4,245 ¥668.6K
68.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,522
$2,330 ¥367.0K
117.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Kurume
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,996
$1,514 ¥238.4K
48.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
1.97
61.93%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kurume: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Kurume
$125 90.7% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Kurume
$299 8.8% $29
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Kurume
$92 65.6% $175
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Kurume
$260 12.2% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Kurume
$53 65.9% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Kurume
$65 11.1% $8.2
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Kurume
$78 57.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $557 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 48% 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: $67 in Barcelona vs $43 in Kurume for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $299 per month, with Kurume cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇯🇵 Kurume
🕒 Local time
05:36 5:36 AM
13:36 1:36 PM
8 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
303,316
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 157 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Kurume 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Kurume

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Kurume?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $972 in Kurume, so Kurume is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Kurume?
Average pay runs 48% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Kurume?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $557 in Kurume. 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 Kurume?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $687 in Kurume. 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 10% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $972 in Kurume versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Kurume the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Kurume?
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.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Kurume?
It comes down to priorities – Kurume wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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