Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $851 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,277 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,702 in Mashhad.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 177% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Mashhad is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.90

$5.25 IQD 6,877

226.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.1

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

85.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.85

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

76.91%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$3.05 IQD 3,998

-8.85%

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

$2.82 €2.45

$0.37 IQD 482

662.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.22 IQD 286

790.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.85

$3.37 IQD 4,410

31.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$2.94 IQD 3,853

56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.31 IQD 1,715

-3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.84 IQD 1,094

153.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.57 IQD 2,058

26.75%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$0.80 IQD 1,045

321.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.47

$4.59 IQD 6,007

313.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.28

$2.02 IQD 2,646

371.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.27

$3.01 IQD 3,943

522.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.30

$0.99 IQD 1,291

167.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.17 IQD 1,531

100.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.97 IQD 1,275

115.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.68 IQD 894

301.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.69 IQD 908

184.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$0.63 IQD 831

187.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.29 IQD 374

420.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.20 IQD 262

345.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.89

$0.82 IQD 1,078

726.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.88

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.78 IQD 2,335

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$2.07 IQD 2,716

15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.53

$0.36 IQD 473

708.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.90

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

-8.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.98

$3.81 IQD 4,988

20.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.50 IQD 1,960

36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.95

$7.55 IQD 9,884

280.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.57 IQD 742

219.30%

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

$39.3K €34.2K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

92.82%

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

$32.5K €28.2K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

62.79%

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

$187 €162

$177 IQD 231.6K

5.53%

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

$22.29 €19.37

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

-15.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.60

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.98

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

57.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.02

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

24.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.36

$7.43 IQD 9,735

44.95%

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

$725 €630

$165 IQD 215.8K

339.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

325.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.3

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

206.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.98

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.8

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

59.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

172.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,324

$242 IQD 316.9K

529.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,066

$182 IQD 238.0K

575.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,370

$573 IQD 750.4K

375.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,724

$349 IQD 457.0K

468.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,489

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,555

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,079

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $242 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $37.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $130 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mashhad differ by about 177% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $851 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $1,277 in Mashhad 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $242 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Mashhad versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.