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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,705 in Saint-Denis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,594 in Saint-Denis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,483 in Saint-Denis.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 37% more expensive than Saint-Denis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Saint-Denis 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

$18.45 €15.75

-4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

$57.1 €48.78

20.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

$20.61 €17.60

-33.28%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$4.12 €3.52

-33.01%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$3.57 €3.05

-22.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.87 €2.45

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

$4.58 €3.91

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

$4.71 €4.02

-2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.28 €1.10

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.44 €2.09

-19.26%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

$4.35 €3.72

-20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

$20.57 €17.57

-8.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

$13.95 €11.92

-32.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

$23.18 €19.79

-17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.86 €2.45

-37.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.67 €1.43

-9.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.19 €1.02

-24.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

$12.58 €10.74

-46.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

$8.34 €7.12

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.51 €2.14

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.44 €2.94

-29.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$2.28 €1.95

32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

$44.27 €37.80

-35.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$33.0K €28.2K

17.27%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$33.3K €28.5K

-2.93%

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

$189 €161

$139 €119

35.25%

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

$22.21 €18.96

$11.67 €9.97

90.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

$55.6 €47.46

-33.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

$35.03 €29.92

65.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

$13.91 €11.88

50.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

$11.37 €9.71

-2.81%

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

$117 €100

-24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

$136 €116

-24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$117 €100

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

$814 €696

87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

$570 €487

113.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

$1,597 €1,364

75.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

$1,044 €891

94.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

$2,204 €1,882

9.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Saint-Denis: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $814 in Saint-Denis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 9% 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 $57.0 in Saint-Denis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $304 per month, with Saint-Denis 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 37% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,705 including rent). Saint-Denis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 9% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $814 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 $57.0 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 56% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,705 in Saint-Denis versus $2,341 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 37% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.