Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mariano Roque Alonso Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mariano Roque Alonso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $555 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $765 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $976 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 327% more expensive than Mariano Roque Alonso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Mariano Roque Alonso is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$4.33 ₲26.4K

306.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$22.38 ₲136.4K

205.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$3.68 ₲22.4K

282.07%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$1.48 ₲9,015

87.84%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.65 ₲3,931

330.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.37 ₲2,280

456.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.42 ₲8,653

214.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$0.77 ₲4,669

498.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.81 ₲4,920

53.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.95 ₲5,818

113.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.83 ₲5,064

131.33%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.59 ₲9,685

108.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$4.92 ₲30.0K

274.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$3.26 ₲19.9K

191.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$5.47 ₲33.4K

250.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.55 ₲9,466

70.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.50 ₲3,048

390.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$0.65 ₲3,984

226.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.54 ₲9,378

85.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.11 ₲6,785

83.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.51 ₲3,121

262.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.52 ₲3,186

182.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.36 ₲2,200

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$1.35 ₲8,228

428.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$6.20 ₲37.8K

27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.70 ₲4,241

97.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.85 ₲5,178

171.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.41 ₲2,502

626.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$38.53 ₲234.8K

-24.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$0.66 ₲4,004

596.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.74 ₲4,500

179.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$8.92 ₲54.3K

227.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.82 ₲4,984

124.39%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$13.8K ₲84.1M

182.80%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$22.3K ₲135.8M

46.78%

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

$188 €162

$38.44 ₲234.3K

388.61%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$13.89 ₲84.6K

65.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$14.80 ₲90.2K

148.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$21.14 ₲128.8K

171.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$4.29 ₲26.1K

160.84%

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

$721 €620

$165 ₲1.0M

336.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$913 ₲5.6M

1547.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$44.06 ₲268.5K

95.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$30.96 ₲188.7K

19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$63.5 ₲386.7K

60.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$50.1 ₲305.1K

131.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$189 ₲1.2M

710.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$126 ₲769.3K

866.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$822 ₲5.0M

186.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

10.17

-66.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mariano Roque Alonso: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $189 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 187% 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 $22.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $124 per month, with Mariano Roque Alonso 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 Mariano Roque Alonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mariano Roque Alonso differ by about 327% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $555 including rent). Mariano Roque Alonso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 187% 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 $189 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $165 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $555 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mariano Roque Alonso but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mariano Roque Alonso 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 Mariano Roque Alonso 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 Mariano Roque Alonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 327% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.