Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Makarska Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Makarska

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,581 in Makarska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $2,419 in Makarska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $3,258 in Makarska.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 47% more expensive than in Makarska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Makarska 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$16.44 €14.38

7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$81.2 €71.0

-14.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$8.20 €7.18

72.68%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.44 €3.01

-18.60%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$3.60 €3.15

-21.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.52 €2.21

-18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$4.57 €4.00

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$3.82 €3.34

22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.15 €1.00

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.43 €1.25

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$3.12 €2.73

-36.54%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$5.23 €4.58

-33.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$17.64 €15.43

3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$11.56 €10.11

-14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$11.54 €10.09

65.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.59 €1.39

71.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.58 €1.38

50.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.11 €1.85

-1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$2.55 €2.23

7.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.42 €1.24

38.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.49 €1.30

20.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.88 €0.77

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.14 €1.00

-20.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$5.12 €4.48

39.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$7.51 €6.57

4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.39 €1.22

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.41 €1.24

69.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$1.72 €1.51

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$43.56 €38.11

-32.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.15 €2.76

38.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.14 €1.00

86.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$8.79 €7.69

236.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.69 €1.48

7.69%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$38.0K €33.3K

-0.31%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$26.2K €22.9K

23.75%

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

$189 €165

$187 €164

1.12%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$23.12 €20.23

-3.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$29.50 €25.81

25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$53.1 €46.44

9.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$14.67 €12.83

40.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$8.49 €7.42

28.03%

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

$706 €618

$243 €213

190.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$1,393 €1,219

967.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$105 €91.7

-14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$45.70 €39.98

-19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$140 €122

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$103 €90.2

15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$666 €582

137.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$460 €402

169.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$1,032 €903

162.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$768 €672

165.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$4,160 €3,639

80.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$3,066 €2,682

70.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.7

-27.87%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Makarska: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $666 in Makarska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $81.0 in Makarska. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $292, with Makarska cheaper for home cooking.

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 Makarska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Makarska differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,581 including rent). Makarska is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,480 in Barcelona and $2,372 in Makarska 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $666 in Makarska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $243 in Makarska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,581 in Makarska versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Makarska but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Makarska 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 Makarska 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 Makarska gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.