Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rasht

For one person, living is cheaper in Rasht: $472 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $23,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Rasht, Iran
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Rasht
🇮🇷 Iran
$472
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Rasht

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Rasht actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $472 in Rasht.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Rasht $472

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $729 in Rasht.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Rasht $729

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $986 in Rasht.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Rasht $986

Living in Barcelona is roughly 419% more expensive than in Rasht, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Rasht is 65% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.76
$3.41 $3.41
415.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$16.13 $16.13
318.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.12
$4.07 $4.07
232.43%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.71 $0.71
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.99 $0.99
-
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$1.38 $1.38
131.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$0.51 $0.51
470.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$0.98 $0.98
92.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.59
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$0.54 $0.54
142.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$0.49 $0.49
312.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.85 $1.85
-
Eggs
$4.83 €4.33
$1.29 $1.29
274.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €15.00
$4.40 $4.40
280.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.17
$2.59 $2.59
252.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.60
$8.96 $8.96
119.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$0.76 $0.76
292.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.33 $1.33
51.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$0.74 $0.74
264.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$0.48 $0.48
483.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$0.48 $0.48
335.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$0.50 $0.50
314.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.34 $0.34
329.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.26 $0.26
261.54%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.78 $0.78
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.24 $0.24
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.31 $1.31
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.16
$1.67 $1.67
311.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.07
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$0.17 $0.17
1747.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.80
$11.20 $11.20
127.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$0.52 $0.52
475.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$0.22 $0.22
577.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.91
$1.54 $1.54
2066.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$0.09 $0.09
1900.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$49.8K $49.8K
-33.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$45.2K $45.2K
-29.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$12.79 $12.79
1310.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.40
$1.54 $1.54
798.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.20
$4.00 $4.00
742.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.16
$18.38 $18.38
180.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.30
$11.92 $11.92
33.89%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.85
$1.02 $1.02
977.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €821
$82.4 $82.4
1011.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$2,603 $2,603
533.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €78.0
$16.10 $16.10
440.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.51
$25.27 $25.27
52.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.8
$109 $109
-2.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$73.3 $73.3
63.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,523
$209 $209
712.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,214
$158 $158
759.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,332
$381 $381
582.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,848
$213 $213
869.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,196
$1,238 $1,238
458.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,595
$629 $629
715.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Rasht
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,981
$215 $215
928.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
19
-82.74%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rasht: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Rasht
$158 88.4% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Rasht
$100 69% $222
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Rasht
$62 76.9% $206
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Rasht
$18 92% $210
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Rasht
$100 36.4% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Rasht
$20 72.2% $53
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Rasht
$13 72.2% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $209 in Rasht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 10 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $16 in Rasht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $100 per month, with Rasht cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇮🇷 Rasht
🕒 Local time
06:20 6:20 AM
08:50 8:50 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
679,995
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Rasht 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Rasht

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rasht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Rasht?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $472 in Rasht, so Rasht is about 81% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Rasht?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 10 times higher, 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 in Rasht?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $209 in Rasht. 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 Rasht?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $82 in Rasht. 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 222% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $800 per month?
At $472 in Rasht versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $800 budget is realistic in Rasht but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Rasht the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Rasht?
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.
Is Barcelona or Rasht safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Rasht are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Rasht?
Expats usually find Rasht gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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