Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Queluz Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Queluz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,658 in Queluz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,360 in Queluz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,063 in Queluz.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 43% more expensive than Queluz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Queluz 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$14.10 €12.14

24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$29.00 €24.96

136.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$7.14 €6.15

96.92%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$0.90 €0.78

208.89%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.70 €1.46

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.17 €1.01

76.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.13 €0.97

294.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.35 €2.02

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.51 €1.30

-17.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.27 €1.09

59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.39 €1.19

38.13%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.35 €2.88

-1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$11.44 €9.85

61.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$7.92 €6.81

19.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$23.27 €20.03

-17.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.66 €2.29

-0.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.41 €1.22

73.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.72 €1.48

23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.58 €2.22

10.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.47 €1.27

38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.97 €1.70

-6.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.58 €1.36

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.73 €0.63

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$6.01 €5.18

18.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$6.47 €5.57

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.08 €0.93

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.05 €0.91

120.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.29 €1.97

30.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

$41.66 €35.86

-29.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.23 €3.64

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.87 €0.75

137.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$17.17 €14.78

69.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.05 €1.76

-10.24%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$34.4K €29.6K

13.35%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-16.82%

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

$188 €162

$155 €133

21.43%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$21.19 €18.24

8.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$58.7 €50.5

-37.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$43.79 €37.70

31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$8.34 €7.18

34.17%

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

$721 €621

$469 €404

53.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$8,363 €7,199

79.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$73.9 €63.6

16.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$58.2 €50.1

-36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$82.1 €70.7

24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$68.9 €59.3

68.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$918 €791

67.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$742 €639

64.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,469 €1,265

83.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$1,179 €1,015

70.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

$3,404 €2,930

112.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

$2,363 €2,034

119.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.43

-37.57%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Queluz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $918 in Queluz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $29.00 in Queluz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $276 per month, with Queluz 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 Queluz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Queluz differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,658 including rent). Queluz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $2,487 in Queluz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $918 in Queluz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $469 in Queluz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,658 in Queluz versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Queluz but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Queluz 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 Queluz 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 Queluz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.