Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint-Denis Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint-Denis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,434 in Barcelona versus $1,752 in Saint-Denis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,473 in Barcelona versus $3,224 in Saint-Denis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,512 in Barcelona versus $4,696 in Saint-Denis.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 39% more expensive than in Saint-Denis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 78% above, Saint-Denis 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.80 €16.09

$13.90 €11.89

35.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.4

$85.6 €73.2

-18.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$15.16 €12.97

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.66

$3.94 €3.37

-20.81%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$3.25 €2.78

-10.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.60

$3.37 €2.88

-44.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.42

$7.59 €6.50

-47.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €3.97

$5.65 €4.84

-17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.69 €1.45

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$3.04 €2.60

-39.47%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.39

$4.79 €4.09

7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 €14.02

$21.04 €18.00

-22.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 €8.31

$13.70 €11.72

-29.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 €16.81

$35.07 €30.00

-43.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.68

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.11

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.37

$5.79 €4.95

-52.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$4.75 €4.07

-53.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.27

$2.37 €2.03

-37.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.70 €1.45

-46.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 €6.21

$11.39 €9.74

-36.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 €7.09

$7.87 €6.73

5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$3.40 €2.91

-54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$3.51 €3.00

-23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 €2.63

$2.26 €1.94

35.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 €22.18

$44.37 €37.95

-41.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 €2.86

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 €1.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.98 €29.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.49

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

$36.5K €31.2K

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

$31.5K €27.0K

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

$183 €156

$153 €131

19.59%

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

$15.70 €13.43

$15.81 €13.53

-0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.73 €31.42

$44.56 €38.12

-17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 €45.76

$33.95 €29.04

57.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 €14.65

$14.08 €12.05

21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 €9.85

$11.74 €10.04

-1.96%

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

$952 €815

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €70.5

$162 €139

-49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 €34.62

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.2

$141 €121

-23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €107

$114 €97.3

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 €1,426

$858 €734

94.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,101

$577 €493

123.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,663 €2,278

$1,506 €1,288

76.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,628

$1,929 €1,650

-1.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,513 €6,427

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,178 €4,429

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,451 €2,096

$2,131 €1,823

14.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.12

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026

Last update for Saint-Denis: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in Barcelona and $858 in Saint-Denis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 15% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $86.0 in Saint-Denis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $393 per month, with Barcelona 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 Saint-Denis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Saint-Denis differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,434 vs $1,752 including rent). Saint-Denis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,668 in Barcelona versus $858 in Saint-Denis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Denis – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Saint-Denis runs roughly 71% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,752 in Saint-Denis versus $2,434 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Denis but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Denis 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 Saint-Denis 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 Saint-Denis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.