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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,434 in Rumia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,109 in Rumia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,784 in Rumia.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 65% more expensive than Rumia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Rumia 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$13.13 zł 47.88

33.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$41.65 zł 152

64.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$6.72 zł 24.52

109.23%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$3.52 zł 12.85

-21.02%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.92 zł 7.02

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.68 zł 6.12

22.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.18 zł 11.59

40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$3.60 zł 13.12

28.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.08 zł 3.93

14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.37 zł 4.98

48.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.38 zł 5.01

39.13%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.96 zł 14.45

-16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$9.28 zł 33.83

98.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$6.68 zł 24.36

42.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$10.62 zł 38.73

80.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.08 zł 3.94

144.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.71 zł 6.23

43.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.70 zł 6.21

24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.85 zł 10.38

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.89 zł 3.26

129.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.08 zł 3.94

71.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.25 zł 4.54

17.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.06 zł 3.88

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$5.00 zł 18.25

42.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$6.94 zł 25.29

13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.13 zł 4.11

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.65 zł 6.03

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.34 zł 4.89

122.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

$34.33 zł 125

-14.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.19 zł 7.97

110.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.74 zł 2.69

179.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$10.70 zł 39.02

172.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.77 zł 6.46

3.95%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$33.5K zł 122.3K

16.31%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$30.0K zł 109.2K

9.15%

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

$188 €162

$272 zł 993

-31.04%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$8.52 zł 31.08

169.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$16.64 zł 60.7

120.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$36.66 zł 134

56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$19.45 zł 70.9

6.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$7.60 zł 27.69

47.24%

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

$721 €621

$344 zł 1,256

109.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$7,987 zł 29.1K

88.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$89.8 zł 328

-4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$43.44 zł 158

-14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$82.7 zł 301

23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$94.1 zł 343

23.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$637 zł 2,322

140.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$492 zł 1,795

147.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$986 zł 3,594

173.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$804 zł 2,930

150.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

$3,504 zł 12.8K

106.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

$2,431 zł 8,866

113.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

$1,549 zł 5,649

52.30%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rumia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $637 in Rumia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 52% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $42.00 in Rumia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 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 65% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,434 including rent). Rumia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 52% more on average, 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $637 in Rumia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 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 $1,434 in Rumia versus $2,367 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 65% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.