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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $979 in Makhachkala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,491 in Makhachkala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,002 in Makhachkala.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 142% more expensive than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Makhachkala is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$15.31 ₽1,125

14.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$38.77 ₽2,848

76.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$5.20 ₽382

170.38%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$3.12 ₽229

-10.90%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.84 ₽62.0

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.35 ₽25.81

488.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.36 ₽99.6

227.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.50 ₽184

84.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.51 ₽111

-17.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$0.60 ₽44.23

238.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.38 ₽101

39.13%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.37 ₽101

141.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$2.97 ₽218

520.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$4.80 ₽353

97.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$4.92 ₽361

289.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.74 ₽128

51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.75 ₽129

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.72 ₽200

-22.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.89 ₽139

50.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.88 ₽64.5

131.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.49 ₽35.84

277.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$2.36 ₽173

-37.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.59 ₽43.05

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$3.19 ₽234

123.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$4.22 ₽310

86.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.04 ₽76.4

32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 ₽136

24.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.43 ₽31.44

593.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.22 ₽163

107.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.21 ₽15.53

885.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$6.18 ₽454

372.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.70 ₽51.3

162.86%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$35.3K ₽2.6M

10.58%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$30.3K ₽2.2M

8.07%

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

$188 €162

$54.9 ₽4,033

242.11%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$6.13 ₽450

274.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$9.84 ₽723

273.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$46.58 ₽3,421

23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$5.02 ₽369

122.91%

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

$721 €621

$166 ₽12.2K

333.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$7,077 ₽519.9K

112.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$106 ₽7,777

-18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$44.24 ₽3,250

-16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$105 ₽7,704

-2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$145 ₽10.7K

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$501 ₽36.8K

206.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$305 ₽22.4K

300.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$698 ₽51.2K

286.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$399 ₽29.3K

404.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

$1,789 ₽131.4K

303.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

$1,289 ₽94.7K

302.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

$860 ₽63.1K

174.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $501 in Makhachkala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 174% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $39.00 in Makhachkala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $157 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 142% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $979 including rent). Makhachkala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 174% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $501 in Makhachkala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $166 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 $979 in Makhachkala versus $2,367 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 142% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.