Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $688 in San Fernando, La Union.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,025 in San Fernando, La Union.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,363 in San Fernando, La Union.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 237% more expensive than in San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, San Fernando, La Union is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$3.64 ₱225

385.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$17.85 ₱1,101

290.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$3.35 ₱206

322.69%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.39 ₱147

17.15%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.78 ₱48.38

260.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.39 ₱24.25

428.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.35 ₱83.6

240.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.12 ₱131

121.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$2.96 ₱182

-58.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.26 ₱77.7

61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.95 ₱58.7

108.42%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.03 ₱125

71.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$8.11 ₱500

126.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.36 ₱269

125.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$7.51 ₱463

154.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.88 ₱178

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.51 ₱93.4

57.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.63 ₱162

-20.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.53 ₱94.6

79.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.28 ₱140

-14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.61 ₱161

-31.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.11 ₱68.3

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.71 ₱43.49

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$2.86 ₱176

149.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$8.85 ₱546

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.15 ₱71.1

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.97 ₱121

21.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.28 ₱17.28

975.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.78 ₱47.90

458.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.22 ₱13.52

868.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$2.17 ₱134

1264.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.19 ₱73.6

52.94%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

44.25%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

56.77%

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

$189 €166

$115 ₱7,063

65.06%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$32.66 ₱2,014

-31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$26.98 ₱1,664

37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$13.15 ₱811

341.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$4.52 ₱279

357.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$6.11 ₱377

77.91%

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

$706 €618

$154 ₱9,467

359.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$5,905 ₱364.1K

151.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$44.89 ₱2,769

99.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$26.87 ₱1,657

36.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$35.92 ₱2,215

189.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$39.67 ₱2,447

200.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$132 ₱8,131

1097.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$123 ₱7,615

902.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$252 ₱15.6K

974.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$216 ₱13.3K

844.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$2,200 ₱135.7K

242.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$946 ₱58.3K

453.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $217 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and San Fernando, La Union differ by about 237% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $688 including rent). San Fernando, La Union is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,480 in Barcelona and $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $154 in San Fernando, La Union. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Fernando, La Union – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in San Fernando, La Union versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.