Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,457 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,845 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $2,232 in Medina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 60% more expensive than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Medina 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$5.46 SAR 20.50

212.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$32.16 SAR 121

115.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$7.89 SAR 29.60

74.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.43 SAR 9.12

13.58%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.76 SAR 2.86

267.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.39 SAR 1.44

410.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.91 SAR 3.40

125.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-13.10%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.04 SAR 7.67

66.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$6.52 SAR 24.45

188.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$7.31 SAR 27.42

28.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$12.80 SAR 48.04

49.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.41 SAR 9.05

12.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.14 SAR 8.05

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.14 SAR 8.05

-0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.64 SAR 6.17

73.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.36 SAR 5.12

44.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.44 SAR 5.39

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.99 SAR 3.71

46.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.84 SAR 3.14

2.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$7.56 SAR 28.37

-10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.09 SAR 4.10

167.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$37.91 SAR 142

-24.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.31 SAR 4.90

240.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.71 SAR 6.42

19.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$5.46 SAR 20.50

441.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.64 SAR 2.39

184.38%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

83.59%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

54.54%

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

$189 €163

$201 SAR 755

-5.90%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$32.95 SAR 124

-30.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$102 SAR 382

-63.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$77.5 SAR 291

-25.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$8.95 SAR 33.59

131.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-20.21%

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

$728 €628

$287 SAR 1,078

153.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

100.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$36.93 SAR 139

139.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$52.3 SAR 196

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$67.3 SAR 253

51.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$96.6 SAR 362

20.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$434 SAR 1,627

261.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$563 SAR 2,114

116.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$726 SAR 2,723

285.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$418 SAR 1,569

372.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$2,279 SAR 8,553

240.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$1,336 SAR 5,013

287.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,321 SAR 4,957

77.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

13.00%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $434 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 77% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $32.00 in Medina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $200 per month, with Medina 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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Medina differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,457 including rent). Medina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 77% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $434 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $287 in Medina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,457 in Medina versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Medina but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.