πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $650 in Poltava.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,012 in Poltava.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,374 in Poltava.
πLiving in Barcelona is roughly 260% more expensive than Poltava, driven mainly by Eating Out.
πThe two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Poltava is 51% below.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61β¬15.08
$5.74β΄253
206.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7β¬58.8
$23.97β΄1,057
186.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75β¬11.77
$4.67β΄206
194.43%
Cappuccino
$2.76β¬2.36
$1.29β΄56.9
113.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78β¬2.38
$0.64β΄28.07
334.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05β¬1.75
$0.46β΄20.19
345.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61β¬3.94
$0.88β΄38.86
423.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59β¬3.93
$1.64β΄72.3
179.88%
π Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28β¬1.10
$1.02β΄44.82
25.49%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11β¬1.81
$0.66β΄29.14
219.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97β¬1.69
$1.28β΄56.6
53.91%
Eggs
$3.44β¬2.95
$1.71β΄75.4
101.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83β¬16.12
$8.22β΄362
129.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45β¬8.09
$3.78β΄167
150.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01β¬16.27
$5.31β΄234
258.00%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72β¬2.33
$0.78β΄34.23
248.72%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37β¬2.03
$1.20β΄53.0
97.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08β¬1.78
$1.27β΄56.2
63.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76β¬2.36
$1.54β΄67.9
79.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97β¬1.69
$0.40β΄17.59
392.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79β¬1.53
$0.55β΄24.24
225.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51β¬1.29
$0.66β΄28.89
128.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90β¬0.77
$0.59β΄25.81
52.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76β¬5.79
$2.04β΄89.9
231.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55β¬6.46
$5.13β΄226
47.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44β¬1.23
$0.89β΄39.25
61.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41β¬2.06
$1.60β΄70.3
50.63%
π Getting Around
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03β¬2.59
$0.25β΄11.06
1112.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39β¬24.30
$14.29β΄630
98.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43β¬3.79
$1.98β΄87.4
123.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05β¬1.76
$0.18β΄7.87
1038.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33β¬25.11
$4.48β΄197
554.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89β¬1.62
$1.31β΄57.6
44.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7Kβ¬33.2K
$27.1Kβ΄1.2M
42.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4Kβ¬27.7K
$20.3Kβ΄894.2K
59.50%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189β¬161
$93.5β΄4,122
101.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21β¬19.01
$4.54β΄200
389.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82β¬31.52
$4.82β΄212
663.90%
π Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0β¬49.64
$13.63β΄601
325.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99β¬17.97
$9.32β΄411
125.21%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05β¬9.46
$4.73β΄209
133.62%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726β¬622
$269β΄11.9K
169.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2Kβ¬13.0K
$7,611β΄335.4K
100.05%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3β¬75.6
$69.8β΄3,078
26.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98β¬31.66
$25.97β΄1,145
42.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103β¬87.8
$77.4β΄3,411
32.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119β¬102
$83.3β΄3,669
43.21%
π Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526β¬1,307
$261β΄11.5K
483.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218β¬1,043
$158β΄6,960
671.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794β¬2,392
$435β΄19.2K
541.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027β¬1,735
$319β΄14.1K
535.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094β¬6,073
$904β΄39.8K
684.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849β¬4,151
-
-
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Poltava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404β¬2,058
$445β΄19.6K
440.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
17.5
-80.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Last update for Poltava: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $261 in Poltava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
π°Barcelona pays 441% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
πDining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $24.00 in Poltava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $142 per month, with Poltava 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 Poltava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Poltava?
Barcelona and Poltava differ by about 260% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $650 including rent). Poltava is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Poltava?
Barcelona pays 441% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Poltava?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $261 in Poltava. 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 Poltava?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $269 in Poltava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 125% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $650 in Poltava versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Poltava but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Poltava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Poltava?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Barcelona or Poltava safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Poltava 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 Poltava?
Expats usually find Poltava gentler on the wallet β expenses run 260% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.