Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,349 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,216 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,082 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 73% more expensive than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Sabah Al Salem 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$7.87 KWD 2.42

117.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$58.6 KWD 17.99

18.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.73 KWD 2.68

57.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 KWD 1.05

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$5.31 KWD 1.63

-48.02%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.62 KWD 0.19

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.34 KWD 0.10

485.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.04 KWD 0.32

97.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.65 KWD 0.51

20.61%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.07 KWD 0.64

63.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$4.55 KWD 1.40

313.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$6.64 KWD 2.04

40.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$9.68 KWD 2.97

97.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.27 KWD 0.70

18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.66 KWD 0.51

40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.57 KWD 0.48

35.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.38 KWD 0.42

106.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.28 KWD 0.39

53.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.11 KWD 0.34

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.68 KWD 0.51

-13.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.45 KWD 0.14

91.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$2.91 KWD 0.89

132.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.88 KWD 0.27

231.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$44.47 KWD 13.66

-35.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.19 KWD 0.98

39.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$16.55 KWD 5.09

78.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.36 KWD 0.11

405.56%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$20.3K KWD 6,226

91.58%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$18.8K KWD 5,768

76.28%

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

$189 €163

$61.9 KWD 19.02

205.65%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$18.50 KWD 5.68

23.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$25.45 KWD 7.82

47.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$92.2 KWD 28.33

-37.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$46.73 KWD 14.35

-55.62%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$11.41 KWD 3.51

-5.17%

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

$728 €628

$283 KWD 87.0

157.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$6,184 KWD 1,900

138.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$42.71 KWD 13.12

107.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$43.25 KWD 13.29

-14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$88.8 KWD 27.28

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$82.0 KWD 25.20

41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$800 KWD 246

96.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$615 KWD 189

98.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,549 KWD 476

80.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,269 KWD 390

55.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$3,019 KWD 927

-22.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.14

-52.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $800 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $168 per month, with Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sabah Al Salem differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,349 including rent). Sabah Al Salem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sabah Al Salem earns 29% less. 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $800 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $283 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,349 in Sabah Al Salem versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.