😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $839 in Mashhad.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,267 in Mashhad.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,695 in Mashhad.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 179% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Mashhad is 37% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61€15.08
$5.42IQD 7,106
224.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€58.8
$36.49IQD 47.8K
88.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75€11.77
$7.47IQD 9,782
84.07%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.36
$3.00IQD 3,930
-8.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.38
$0.36IQD 473
672.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.75
$0.21IQD 277
876.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.94
$3.52IQD 4,610
30.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.93
$2.92IQD 3,830
57.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.10
$1.38IQD 1,803
-7.25%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.81
$0.78IQD 1,027
170.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$1.64IQD 2,149
20.12%
Eggs
$3.44€2.95
$0.88IQD 1,155
290.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83€16.12
$4.49IQD 5,876
319.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45€8.09
$2.05IQD 2,689
360.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01€16.27
$3.09IQD 4,042
515.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72€2.33
$0.98IQD 1,280
177.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$1.21IQD 1,585
95.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.78
$1.01IQD 1,329
105.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.36
$0.71IQD 936
288.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$0.65IQD 852
203.08%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$0.67IQD 878
167.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$0.29IQD 376
420.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.77
$0.19IQD 246
373.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76€5.79
$0.78IQD 1,028
766.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55€6.46
$13.47IQD 17.7K
-43.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.23
$1.86IQD 2,438
-22.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.06
$2.10IQD 2,755
14.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03€2.59
$0.40IQD 519
657.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39€24.30
$31.56IQD 41.3K
-10.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.79
$3.73IQD 4,893
18.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05€1.76
$1.47IQD 1,931
39.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33€25.11
$7.50IQD 9,829
291.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89€1.62
$0.56IQD 740
237.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K€33.2K
$19.8KIQD 25.9M
95.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.7K
$20.1KIQD 26.4M
60.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189€161
$177IQD 232.0K
6.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21€19.01
$26.01IQD 34.1K
-14.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82€31.52
$40.80IQD 53.5K
-9.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0€49.64
$36.02IQD 47.2K
60.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99€17.97
$16.98IQD 22.2K
23.62%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.46
$7.51IQD 9,834
47.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726€622
$166IQD 217.9K
336.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.0K
$3,534IQD 4.6M
330.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3€75.6
$28.46IQD 37.3K
210.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98€31.66
$30.31IQD 39.7K
22.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€87.8
$64.9IQD 85.1K
57.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€102
$43.00IQD 56.3K
177.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526€1,307
$239IQD 313.3K
538.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,043
$181IQD 236.9K
573.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794€2,392
$581IQD 761.8K
380.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027€1,735
$339IQD 444.7K
497.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094€6,073
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849€4,151
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Mashhad
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404€2,058
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
5.67
-40.21%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Mashhad: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $239 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $132 per month, with Mashhad cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Barcelona vs Mashhad: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Mashhad?
Barcelona and Mashhad differ by about 179% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $839 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Mashhad?
You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $1,259 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Mashhad?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $239 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Mashhad?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 143% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $839 in Mashhad versus $2,341 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.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Mashhad?
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.
Is Barcelona or Mashhad safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Mashhad?
Expats usually find Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Barcelona vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado