Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Roquetas de Mar Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Roquetas de Mar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,309 in Roquetas de Mar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,900 in Roquetas de Mar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,491 in Roquetas de Mar.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 77% more expensive than in Roquetas de Mar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Roquetas de Mar is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$11.62 €10.17

51.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$58.0 €50.7

20.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$11.56 €10.11

22.49%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.63 €1.43

71.78%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.92 €2.56

-3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.72 €1.51

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$2.82 €2.46

63.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$2.98 €2.60

57.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.24 €1.09

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.55 €1.36

30.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.14 €1.00

73.68%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.39 €2.97

2.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$9.44 €8.26

94.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$8.09 €7.08

21.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$17.03 €14.90

12.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.98 €1.73

37.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.75 €1.53

36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.12 €0.98

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.66 €1.45

65.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.33 €2.04

-15.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.19 €1.04

50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.56 €0.49

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.63 €0.55

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$6.85 €5.99

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$3.46 €3.03

127.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.42 €1.25

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.21 €1.94

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.40 €0.35

652.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$33.76 €29.53

-13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.43 €3.00

27.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.27 €1.12

67.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$13.68 €11.97

116.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.78 €1.56

2.25%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$39.2K €34.3K

-3.38%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$29.5K €25.8K

9.64%

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

$189 €165

$121 €106

56.12%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$5.96 €5.21

273.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$23.03 €20.15

61.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$37.22 €32.57

55.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$15.14 €13.25

36.46%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$9.39 €8.22

15.76%

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

$706 €618

$471 €412

49.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$11.2K €9,832

32.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$87.4 €76.5

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$53.1 €46.43

-31.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$59.0 €51.6

76.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$107 €93.9

11.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$578 €506

173.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$530 €464

133.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$798 €698

239.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$628 €549

224.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,062 €1,804

265.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$1,649 €1,443

217.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$1,333 €1,167

77.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.9

-13.08%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Roquetas de Mar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $578 in Roquetas de Mar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 77% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $58.0 in Roquetas de Mar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $237 per month, with Roquetas de Mar 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 Roquetas de Mar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Roquetas de Mar differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,309 including rent). Roquetas de Mar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $578 in Roquetas de Mar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $471 in Roquetas de Mar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,309 in Roquetas de Mar versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roquetas de Mar but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Roquetas de Mar 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 Roquetas de Mar 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 Roquetas de Mar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.