Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Matrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Matrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $226 in Matrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $367 in Matrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $508 in Matrah.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 942% more expensive than in Matrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Matrah is 83% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.96

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.89

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.42

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

$2.82 €2.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.01

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.02 OMR 0.39

108.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$2.64 OMR 1.02

-24.62%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.93

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-28.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.53

$5.08 OMR 1.96

273.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.31

$5.35 OMR 2.06

78.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.33

$7.59 OMR 2.92

146.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$1.29 OMR 0.50

105.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.74 OMR 0.67

35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$2.29 OMR 0.88

-8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.23 OMR 0.47

121.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.11 OMR 0.43

76.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.08 OMR 0.41

67.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.51 OMR 0.19

196.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.91

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$4.21 OMR 1.62

-67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$15.90 OMR 6.12

-84.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

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

$39.3K €34.3K

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

$32.5K €28.3K

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

$187 €163

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

$22.29 €19.43

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.71

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €50.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.39

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

$725 €632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €32.09

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,328

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,070

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,378

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,730

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,571

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,086

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Matrah: July 27, 2026

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 Matrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Matrah differ by about 942% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $226 including rent). Matrah 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 $340 in Matrah 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,359 per month in Barcelona versus $226 in Matrah – a 942% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $226 in Matrah versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matrah but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Matrah 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 Matrah 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 Matrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 942% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.