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: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $1,343 in Pohang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,635 in Pohang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,927 in Pohang.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 84% more expensive than in Pohang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Pohang is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$6.11 ₩8,418

206.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$22.23 ₩30.6K

212.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$6.38 ₩8,796

115.83%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.02 ₩4,156

2.65%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$1.46 ₩2,009

93.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.48 ₩663

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$3.78 ₩5,211

5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$3.76 ₩5,177

20.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.92 ₩2,640

-33.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.06 ₩4,223

-29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.61 ₩3,603

-32.57%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.68 ₩3,693

91.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$10.83 ₩14.9K

65.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$6.75 ₩9,302

42.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$24.99 ₩34.4K

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$2.29 ₩3,150

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$3.69 ₩5,085

-39.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$7.99 ₩11.0K

-67.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$2.95 ₩4,060

-6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$4.84 ₩6,670

-54.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$3.23 ₩4,454

-34.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.29 ₩3,151

-32.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.34 ₩1,841

-29.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$3.31 ₩4,559

121.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$6.65 ₩9,166

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.51 ₩2,080

1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.50 ₩4,827

-20.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.29 ₩4,531

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.61 ₩837

142.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$16.44 ₩22.7K

108.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.24 ₩1,706

39.52%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$29.7K ₩40.9M

22.53%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$28.8K ₩39.6M

6.18%

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

$187 €163

$100 ₩137.9K

87.01%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$35.70 ₩49.2K

-57.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$27.20 ₩37.5K

38.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$30.05 ₩41.4K

86.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

$7.40 ₩10.2K

130.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$10.95 ₩15.1K

4.20%

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

$997 €869

$624 ₩860.4K

59.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$21.8K ₩30.1M

-24.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$102 ₩140.5K

-9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$65.8 ₩90.6K

-37.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$94.3 ₩130.0K

17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$114 ₩156.5K

10.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$446 ₩615.1K

188.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$2,956 ₩4.1M

74.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$2,176 ₩3.0M

7.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

4.22

-25.12%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pohang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 8% 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 $22.00 in Pohang. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $366, 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 84% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $1,343 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $624 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 $22.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,343 in Pohang versus $2,476 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 84% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.