Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saku Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,044 in Saku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,657 in Saku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $2,269 in Saku.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 126% more expensive than in Saku, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Saku is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$15.99 €13.84

7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$68.1 €59.0

-0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$9.70 €8.40

40.62%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$3.78 €3.27

-26.46%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$2.46 €2.13

14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.54 €2.20

-22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$5.18 €4.48

-14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$5.91 €5.12

-22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.25 €1.09

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.44 €1.24

47.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.28 €1.97

-12.72%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.98 €2.58

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$12.30 €10.65

54.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$8.83 €7.65

7.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$11.48 €9.94

63.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.90 €1.65

39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.58 €1.36

48.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.47 €2.14

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.40 €2.08

13.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.99 €0.86

97.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.00 €0.87

81.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.05 €1.77

-26.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.05 €0.91

-15.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$6.33 €5.48

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$10.16 €8.80

-22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.93 €1.67

-29.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.17 €1.88

10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$3.27 €2.83

40.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.74 €0.64

175.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$17.13 €14.83

67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.94 €1.68

-6.19%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$28.8K €25.0K

36.29%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$30.2K €26.2K

7.50%

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

$187 €162

$266 €231

-29.92%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$20.23 €17.52

10.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$35.97 €31.15

1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$11.54 €9.99

-6.67%

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

$725 €628

$117 €102

517.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$7,739 €6,702

95.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$112 €96.8

-21.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$40.27 €34.87

-8.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$97.7 €84.6

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$110 €95.1

8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$4,104 €3,554

81.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$2,685 €2,325

95.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,851 €1,603

29.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.3

-21.16%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saku: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 29% 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 $68.0 in Saku. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $264, with Saku cheaper for home cooking.

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 Saku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Saku differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,044 including rent). Saku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $117 in Saku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saku – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,044 in Saku versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saku but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Saku 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 Saku 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 Saku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.