Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mishref Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mishref

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,353 in Mishref.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,264 in Mishref.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,174 in Mishref.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 83% more expensive than in Mishref, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Mishref is 2% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.42 €15.88
$12.87 KWD 3.95
43.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.4 €59.8
$63.6 KWD 19.50
9.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.05 €12.11
$9.15 KWD 2.80
53.55%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.21 KWD 0.98
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.80 KWD 1.47
-
Cappuccino
$3.11 €2.68
$5.39 KWD 1.65
-42.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.55
$0.75 KWD 0.23
294.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 €1.69
$0.35 KWD 0.11
457.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.99 €3.44
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 €3.98
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.14
$1.57 KWD 0.48
-15.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.11 €1.82
$1.54 KWD 0.47
37.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.57
$1.99 KWD 0.61
-8.04%
Eggs
$5.16 €4.45
$2.06 KWD 0.63
150.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.56 €15.14
$4.28 KWD 1.31
310.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.50 €8.19
$6.63 KWD 2.03
43.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.93 €17.18
$10.19 KWD 3.13
95.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.17 €2.73
$2.49 KWD 0.76
27.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 €1.91
$1.87 KWD 0.57
18.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 €2.25
$1.79 KWD 0.55
45.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 €2.46
$1.56 KWD 0.48
82.69%
Potato (1kg)
$2.17 €1.87
$1.34 KWD 0.41
61.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 €1.81
$1.45 KWD 0.44
45.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 €1.39
$2.27 KWD 0.69
-28.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.76
$0.59 KWD 0.18
49.15%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.28 KWD 1.00
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.06 KWD 0.33
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.43 KWD 0.44
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.17 €6.18
$2.71 KWD 0.83
164.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.33 €7.18
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.29
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 €2.37
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.70
$0.84 KWD 0.26
273.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.25 €22.63
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 €2.78
$4.78 KWD 1.47
-32.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$3.21 KWD 0.99
-52.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.26 €30.39
$16.27 KWD 4.99
116.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.51
$0.35 KWD 0.11
400.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K €31.6K
$21.2K KWD 6,508
72.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €27.3K
$20.4K KWD 6,249
55.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 €161
$66.5 KWD 20.39
181.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.10 €13.01
$22.83 KWD 7.00
-33.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.60 €32.41
$30.02 KWD 9.20
25.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.5 €47.83
$98.9 KWD 30.33
-43.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.74 €14.43
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.71 €10.09
$11.29 KWD 3.46
3.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,011 €871
$303 KWD 93.0
233.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K €14.7K
$9,369 KWD 2,873
82.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.4 €78.8
$37.16 KWD 11.39
145.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.00 €35.34
$39.70 KWD 12.17
3.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €95.3
$97.7 KWD 29.96
13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 €109
$90.2 KWD 27.65
39.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,704 €1,469
$737 KWD 226
131.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,299 €1,120
$572 KWD 175
127.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 €2,231
$1,749 KWD 536
47.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,929 €1,663
$1,325 KWD 406
45.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,732 €6,665
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,384 €4,641
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Mishref
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,374 €2,046
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.16
6.53
-51.61%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mishref: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $737 in Mishref. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $64.0 in Mishref for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $186 per month, with Mishref 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 Mishref: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Mishref?
Barcelona and Mishref differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,353 including rent). Mishref 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 Mishref?
You'd need roughly $3,724 in Barcelona and $2,030 in Mishref 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 in Mishref?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $737 in Mishref. 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 Mishref?
Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $303 in Mishref. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mishref – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,353 in Mishref versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mishref but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mishref the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Mishref?
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 Mishref safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Mishref 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 Mishref?
Expats usually find Mishref gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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