Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Putian Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Putian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $524 in Putian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $853 in Putian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $1,183 in Putian.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 377% more expensive than in Putian, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Putian is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$2.25 ¥15.11

717.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$23.31 ¥156

196.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$5.36 ¥35.89

163.62%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$2.53 ¥16.98

23.72%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$0.44 ¥2.92

586.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.31 ¥2.09

532.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$0.76 ¥5.08

426.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$2.93 ¥19.65

62.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.53 ¥10.24

-18.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.26 ¥15.16

-4.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.99 ¥6.65

70.71%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.62 ¥10.85

204.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$11.91 ¥79.8

50.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$2.44 ¥16.35

293.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$12.06 ¥80.8

60.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$2.61 ¥17.50

24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.43 ¥9.58

52.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.66 ¥11.14

60.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.02 ¥13.53

37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.94 ¥6.32

135.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.84 ¥12.33

19.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.87 ¥5.86

74.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.54 ¥3.60

70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$3.05 ¥20.41

133.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$10.96 ¥73.5

-25.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.84 ¥5.64

78.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.71 ¥11.48

62.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$0.72 ¥4.85

337.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

$21.92 ¥147

23.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$1.46 ¥9.81

122.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.31 ¥2.08

383.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

$6.93 ¥46.46

403.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.27 ¥8.52

37.80%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

92.00%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$17.2K ¥115.3K

79.83%

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

$188 €161

$43.23 ¥290

334.03%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$8.56 ¥57.4

80.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$10.20 ¥68.4

270.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$10.15 ¥68.0

14.09%

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

$1,003 €863

$481 ¥3,221

108.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$23.9K ¥159.9K

-28.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$39.04 ¥262

128.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$29.01 ¥194

40.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$105 ¥702

5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$86.9 ¥582

41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

$2,607 ¥17.5K

190.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

$1,136 ¥7,615

372.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$477 ¥3,194

403.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.46

-8.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Putian: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 404% 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 $23.00 in Putian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $217 per month, with Putian 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 Putian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Putian differ by about 377% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $524 including rent). Putian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 404% 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 $1,003 in Barcelona versus $481 in Putian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $524 in Putian versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putian but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Putian 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 Putian 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 Putian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 377% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.