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: $2,356 in Barcelona versus $966 in Makhachkala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Barcelona versus $1,476 in Makhachkala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,553 in Barcelona versus $1,987 in Makhachkala.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 144% more expensive than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Makhachkala is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.01

$15.62 ₽1,188

12.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.0

$38.69 ₽2,943

76.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €11.88

$5.19 ₽395

168.98%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.35

$3.24 ₽246

-14.81%

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

$2.76 €2.35

$0.84 ₽63.6

228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.67

$0.35 ₽26.81

462.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 €3.85

$1.37 ₽104

230.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.85

$2.57 ₽195

76.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.05

$1.51 ₽115

-17.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 €1.73

$0.65 ₽49.55

213.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.38 ₽105

38.41%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.89

$1.38 ₽105

145.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.34 €15.60

$2.99 ₽227

513.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 €7.99

$4.81 ₽366

95.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.08

$5.05 ₽384

274.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.23

$1.82 ₽138

44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.04

$1.77 ₽134

35.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.80

$2.80 ₽213

-24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.30

$1.91 ₽145

41.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.82 ₽62.2

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.52

$0.49 ₽36.98

263.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$2.48 ₽189

-40.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.77

$0.60 ₽45.39

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €5.97

$3.23 ₽245

117.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 €6.46

$8.61 ₽655

-11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.22

$1.00 ₽76.3

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €1.97

$1.86 ₽142

24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.50

$0.42 ₽32.02

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.38 €25.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.85

$2.23 ₽170

103.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$0.22 ₽16.69

872.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 €24.65

$6.50 ₽494

345.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$0.71 ₽53.9

166.20%

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

$39.0K €33.2K

$35.5K ₽2.7M

10.01%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$30.0K ₽2.3M

8.23%

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

$189 €161

$54.3 ₽4,130

247.72%

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

$22.24 €18.92

$6.32 ₽481

251.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 €31.12

$9.94 ₽756

267.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.38

$47.60 ₽3,620

21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 €18.13

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 €9.37

$5.02 ₽382

119.32%

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

$731 €622

$169 ₽12.9K

331.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.6K

$6,894 ₽524.3K

115.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €76.0

$103 ₽7,818

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 €31.81

$44.15 ₽3,358

-15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.0

$104 ₽7,877

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.0

$145 ₽11.1K

-20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 €1,320

$498 ₽37.9K

211.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,035

$304 ₽23.1K

299.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 €2,382

$700 ₽53.2K

299.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$411 ₽31.3K

388.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,161 €6,094

$1,683 ₽128.0K

325.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,021 €4,273

$1,217 ₽92.6K

312.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 €2,095

$621 ₽47.3K

296.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

11.33

-70.08%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 13, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Barcelona and $498 in Makhachkala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 296% 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 in Barcelona vs $39 in Makhachkala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $168 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 144% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $966 including rent). Makhachkala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 296% 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: $1,551 in Barcelona versus $498 in Makhachkala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $731 in Barcelona versus $169 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 $39.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $966 in Makhachkala versus $2,356 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 144% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.