Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Makhachkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Makhachkala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $684 in Makhachkala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $1,163 in Makhachkala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $1,641 in Makhachkala.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 265% more expensive than in Makhachkala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Makhachkala is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$11.61 ₽997

58.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$34.70 ₽2,978

99.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$4.56 ₽392

209.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$2.68 ₽230

16.79%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$0.73 ₽62.7

313.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.32 ₽27.54

512.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.32 ₽113

-5.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$0.48 ₽41.40

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.17 ₽100

44.44%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.58 ₽135

212.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$8.36 ₽717

113.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$6.07 ₽521

58.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$7.82 ₽671

147.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$1.21 ₽104

167.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.79 ₽154

21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.14 ₽183

24.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.96 ₽254

-6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.81 ₽69.8

172.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$0.41 ₽35.33

434.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.88 ₽75.5

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$2.92 ₽250

143.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$3.50 ₽301

132.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.48 ₽41.40

212.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$0.36 ₽30.49

775.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.29 ₽197

41.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.76 ₽65.4

130.26%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$32.0K ₽2.7M

14.69%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$28.0K ₽2.4M

10.66%

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

$188 €161

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

$15.44 €13.29

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$53.4 ₽4,584

7.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$4.65 ₽399

149.03%

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

$1,003 €863

$208 ₽17.9K

382.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$380 ₽32.6K

340.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$286 ₽24.5K

366.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$829 ₽71.2K

212.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$648 ₽55.6K

200.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

$1,494 ₽128.2K

406.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

$1,050 ₽90.1K

411.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$595 ₽51.0K

303.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-82.44%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $380 in Makhachkala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 304% 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 $35.00 in Makhachkala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $171 per month, with Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Makhachkala differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $684 including rent). Makhachkala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 304% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $380 in Makhachkala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $208 in Makhachkala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Makhachkala – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $684 in Makhachkala versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Makhachkala but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.