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: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,065 in Saku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,668 in Saku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $2,270 in Saku.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 125% more expensive than Saku, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Saku is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$15.91 €13.70

11.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$70.3 €60.5

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$9.66 €8.31

41.41%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$3.69 €3.17

-25.75%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.48 €2.13

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.53 €2.18

-22.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$5.07 €4.37

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$5.75 €4.95

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.31 €1.12

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.43 €1.23

43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.39 €2.06

-17.15%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.87 €2.47

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$12.30 €10.59

51.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$8.83 €7.60

8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$11.20 €9.65

68.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.00 €1.72

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.54 €1.33

60.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.42 €2.08

-13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.46 €2.12

14.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.05 €0.90

92.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.92 €0.79

101.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.04 €1.76

-25.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.01 €0.87

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$6.23 €5.36

13.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$10.77 €9.27

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.97 €1.69

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.19 €1.89

4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$3.40 €2.93

28.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.73 €0.63

193.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$17.21 €14.82

69.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.91 €1.65

-2.62%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.6K €24.6K

36.39%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$31.1K €26.8K

5.10%

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

$189 €163

$274 €236

-30.86%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$20.58 €17.72

10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$35.11 €30.23

3.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$11.43 €9.84

-5.42%

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

$726 €625

$118 €102

514.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$7,802 €6,718

93.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$113 €97.7

-22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$39.05 €33.62

-5.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$99.7 €85.8

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$107 €92.4

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$4,203 €3,619

85.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$2,752 €2,370

91.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$1,892 €1,629

25.55%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Saku: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 26% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $70.0 in Saku. Groceries flip the comparison at $321 vs $265, 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 125% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $1,065 including rent). Saku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $118 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 $70.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,065 in Saku versus $2,399 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 125% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.