Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $513 in Mahabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $811 in Mahabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,108 in Mahabad.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 356% more expensive than Mahabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Mahabad is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$2.94 $2.94

480.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$17.50 $17.50

295.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$2.11 $2.11

553.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 $0.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.35 $2.35

17.45%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.99 $0.99

181.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.00 $1.00

99.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.59 $0.59

118.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.44 $0.44

365.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.12 $2.12

-6.13%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.17 $1.17

189.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$3.29 $3.29

471.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$3.18 $3.18

194.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.31 $7.31

161.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$0.74 $0.74

264.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.22 $1.22

91.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.83 $0.83

155.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.43 $0.43

562.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.51 $0.51

286.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.46 $0.46

291.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.48 $0.48

202.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.29 $0.29

196.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.64 $0.64

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.15 $2.15

215.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.21 $0.21

1290.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$9.89 $9.89

190.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.33 $0.33

1251.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.27 $0.27

659.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$1.95 $1.95

1415.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.74 $0.74

145.95%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$73.0K $73.0K

-46.80%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$54.7K $54.7K

-39.50%

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

$189 €163

$15.68 $15.68

1106.82%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$2.11 $2.11

980.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$5.67 $5.67

562.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$14.45 $14.45

299.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$12.72 $12.72

63.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$1.54 $1.54

602.60%

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

$728 €628

$115 $115

534.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$1,951 $1,951

657.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$22.84 $22.84

288.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$25.41 $25.41

45.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$110 $110

-7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$69.3 $69.3

67.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$291 $291

438.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$204 $204

497.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$644 $644

334.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$314 $314

529.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$856 $856

805.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$557 $557

829.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$274 $274

755.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

22.24

-84.76%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $291 in Mahabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 756% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Mahabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $95.0 per month, with Mahabad 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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mahabad differ by about 356% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $513 including rent). Mahabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 756% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $291 in Mahabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $115 in Mahabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 234% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $513 in Mahabad versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahabad but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mahabad 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 Mahabad 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 Mahabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 356% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.