Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rumia Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rumia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,474 in Rumia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $2,154 in Rumia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,834 in Rumia.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 57% more expensive than in Rumia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Rumia 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$12.73 zł 48.31

38.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$41.91 zł 159

66.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$6.60 zł 25.03

114.55%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.58 zł 13.58

-21.79%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.91 zł 7.26

47.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.61 zł 6.12

27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$3.23 zł 12.27

42.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$3.61 zł 13.70

29.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.07 zł 4.05

14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.36 zł 5.16

49.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.37 zł 5.21

44.53%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.88 zł 14.74

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$9.19 zł 34.88

99.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$6.60 zł 25.05

48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$10.73 zł 40.73

78.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.09 zł 4.13

150.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.78 zł 6.76

33.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.73 zł 6.57

20.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$2.89 zł 10.98

-4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.96 zł 3.64

104.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.13 zł 4.30

58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.29 zł 4.90

14.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.07 zł 4.05

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$5.03 zł 19.08

41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$6.99 zł 26.51

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.09 zł 4.13

26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.62 zł 6.13

47.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$1.36 zł 5.15

121.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$34.56 zł 131

-15.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$2.18 zł 8.27

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.72 zł 2.72

195.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$10.74 zł 40.77

175.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.83 zł 6.94

-0.55%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$33.7K zł 128.0K

12.34%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$30.3K zł 115.1K

6.71%

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

$189 €166

$274 zł 1,038

-30.93%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$8.48 zł 32.18

162.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$16.60 zł 63.0

123.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$36.08 zł 137

60.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$19.83 zł 75.3

4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$7.59 zł 28.78

43.21%

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

$706 €618

$344 zł 1,304

105.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,049 zł 30.5K

84.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$90.0 zł 341

-0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$43.07 zł 163

-15.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$81.8 zł 310

27.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$93.5 zł 355

27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$640 zł 2,429

146.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$497 zł 1,887

148.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$965 zł 3,662

180.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$811 zł 3,076

151.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$3,149 zł 11.9K

139.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$2,325 zł 8,821

125.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$1,491 zł 5,658

58.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.75

-49.78%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rumia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $640 in Rumia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 59% 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 $42.00 in Rumia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $221 per month, with Rumia 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 Rumia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Rumia differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,474 including rent). Rumia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 59% 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 $640 in Rumia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $344 in Rumia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,474 in Rumia versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rumia but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Rumia 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 Rumia 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 Rumia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.