Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Pohang Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Pohang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,333 in Pohang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,007 in Pohang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,680 in Pohang.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 77% more expensive than Pohang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Pohang 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$5.23 ₩8,018

236.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$18.25 ₩28.0K

275.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$6.14 ₩9,412

128.99%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.98 ₩4,565

-6.71%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.44 ₩2,208

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.51 ₩787

303.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.75 ₩5,741

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$3.62 ₩5,546

27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.79 ₩2,747

-30.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$3.17 ₩4,854

-35.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.53 ₩3,883

-24.11%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.97 ₩4,547

11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$10.60 ₩16.2K

73.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$6.44 ₩9,860

47.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$27.14 ₩41.6K

-29.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.17 ₩3,331

21.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.11 ₩4,771

-21.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$7.47 ₩11.4K

-71.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.63 ₩4,030

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$4.89 ₩7,485

-58.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.93 ₩4,494

-36.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$2.02 ₩3,093

-27.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.16 ₩1,785

-27.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$3.33 ₩5,102

114.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$8.40 ₩12.9K

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.49 ₩2,280

-7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.37 ₩5,163

-31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.10 ₩1,691

170.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.47 ₩3,782

86.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.86 ₩1,313

140.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$16.38 ₩25.1K

78.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.22 ₩1,864

50.82%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.0K ₩42.8M

39.54%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.9K ₩38.2M

31.28%

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

$188 €162

$106 ₩162.2K

77.41%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$50.1 ₩76.8K

-54.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$27.14 ₩41.6K

35.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$29.52 ₩45.2K

94.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$7.18 ₩11.0K

188.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$10.98 ₩16.8K

1.91%

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

$721 €621

$491 ₩752.6K

46.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$14.4K ₩22.1M

4.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$104 ₩159.3K

-17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$47.82 ₩73.3K

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$87.1 ₩133.5K

17.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$110 ₩168.5K

5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$446 ₩682.9K

244.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$427 ₩654.6K

185.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,068 ₩1.6M

152.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$780 ₩1.2M

158.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$2,602 ₩4.0M

99.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$2,229 ₩3.4M

5.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.22

-19.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pohang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $446 in Pohang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 6% 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 $18.00 in Pohang. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $363, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Pohang differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,333 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 6% 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 $446 in Pohang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $491 in Pohang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pohang – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,333 in Pohang versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pohang but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Pohang 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 Pohang 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 Pohang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.