Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Nizwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Nizwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $582 in Nizwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $787 in Nizwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $993 in Nizwa.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 307% more expensive than Nizwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Nizwa is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$2.54 OMR 0.98

592.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$26.21 OMR 10.09

161.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$3.84 OMR 1.48

266.15%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.87 OMR 0.33

221.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.27 OMR 0.10

662.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.31 OMR 0.51

-5.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.27 OMR 0.49

59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.77 OMR 0.68

8.47%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.13 OMR 0.82

55.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$3.83 OMR 1.47

381.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$8.02 OMR 3.09

18.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.06 OMR 0.79

28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.28 OMR 0.49

91.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.31 OMR 0.50

61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.32 OMR 0.51

115.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.05 OMR 0.41

94.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.06 OMR 0.41

74.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.50 OMR 0.19

194.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.82 OMR 0.31

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.59 OMR 0.23

211.86%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$188 €162

$130 OMR 49.97

44.72%

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

$22.93 €19.74

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$64.1 OMR 24.68

-42.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

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

$721 €621

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$265 OMR 102

478.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$204 OMR 78.6

497.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$389 OMR 150

593.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$264 OMR 102

661.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

$1,309 OMR 504

80.26%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nizwa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $265 in Nizwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 80% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $26.00 in Nizwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $140 per month, with Nizwa 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 Nizwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Nizwa differ by about 307% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $582 including rent). Nizwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 80% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $265 in Nizwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nizwa – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $582 in Nizwa – a 307% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Nizwa versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa 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 Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 307% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.