Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ourem Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ourem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,638 in Ourem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,389 in Ourem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,140 in Ourem.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 52% more expensive than in Ourem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Ourem 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$13.27 €11.44

38.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$55.0 €47.38

26.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$9.27 €7.99

51.56%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$1.32 €1.14

135.61%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.79 €1.54

65.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.21 €1.05

61.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$2.87 €2.47

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$2.87 €2.47

60.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.11 €0.95

18.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.50 €2.16

-15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.37 €1.18

33.58%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$3.77 €3.25

36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$9.38 €8.09

87.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$8.11 €6.99

17.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$11.45 €9.87

74.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$1.93 €1.66

64.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.26 €1.09

75.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.18 €1.01

121.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.76 €1.51

61.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.12 €1.83

2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.83 €1.58

15.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.67 €1.44

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.70 €0.60

25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$6.20 €5.35

15.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$3.51 €3.02

137.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.30 €1.12

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.49 €1.28

84.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.26 €1.95

38.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

$41.40 €35.69

-36.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$4.19 €3.61

-23.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.78 €0.67

93.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$17.39 €14.99

102.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.17 €1.87

-19.35%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$35.1K €30.3K

4.40%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$40.1K €34.5K

-20.94%

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

$187 €161

$124 €107

50.76%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$22.55 €19.44

-33.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$39.90 €34.39

-5.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$43.24 €37.27

28.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$9.54 €8.22

22.75%

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

$1,011 €871

$640 €552

57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$6,434 €5,547

165.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$80.0 €68.9

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$46.18 €39.81

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$87.5 €75.4

26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$106 €91.6

18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$998 €860

70.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$801 €691

62.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,572 €1,355

64.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$1,221 €1,053

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$3,201 €2,759

141.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$2,405 €2,073

123.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$1,370 €1,181

73.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.54

-10.73%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ourem: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $998 in Ourem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 73% 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 $55.0 in Ourem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $232 per month, with Ourem 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 Ourem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ourem differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,638 including rent). Ourem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $998 in Ourem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $640 in Ourem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $1,638 in Ourem versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ourem but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ourem 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 Ourem 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 Ourem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.