Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $624 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $824 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $1,023 in Ruwi.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 300% more expensive than in Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Ruwi is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

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

$3.02 €2.59

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.97 OMR 0.76

9.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.01 OMR 0.39

67.33%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.22 OMR 0.47

304.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$2.02 OMR 0.78

785.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$1.99 OMR 0.77

382.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$4.87 OMR 1.87

297.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$0.97 OMR 0.37

234.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.03 OMR 0.40

111.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.03 OMR 0.40

159.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$1.02 OMR 0.39

171.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.98 OMR 0.38

125.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.99 OMR 0.38

53.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-10.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

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

$36.7K €31.5K

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

$30.9K €26.6K

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

$188 €161

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

$15.44 €13.27

$25.65 OMR 9.88

-39.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$77.9 OMR 30.00

-51.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$8.93 OMR 3.44

29.68%

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

$1,003 €862

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$396 OMR 153

322.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$385 OMR 148

245.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$912 OMR 351

184.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$582 OMR 224

235.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$4,419 OMR 1,701

-45.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $396 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ruwi differ by about 300% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $624 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Ruwi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $396 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,495 per month in Barcelona versus $624 in Ruwi – a 300% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 300% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.