Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and San Fernando, Philippines

For one person, living is cheaper in San Fernando: $807 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
San Fernando, Philippines
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
San Fernando
🇵🇭 Philippines
$807
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in San Fernando

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in San Fernando actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $807 in San Fernando.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • San Fernando $807

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $1,271 in San Fernando.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • San Fernando $1,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $1,735 in San Fernando.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • San Fernando $1,735

Living in Barcelona is roughly 203% more expensive than in San Fernando, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, San Fernando is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.69
$3.07 ₱195
475.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €59.9
$23.84 ₱1,516
183.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.09
$2.82 ₱179
382.62%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.75
$1.71 ₱109
81.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.67
$0.64 ₱40.43
368.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.71
$0.38 ₱24.23
407.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.41
$1.09 ₱69.3
252.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.87
$1.95 ₱124
123.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.76 ₱112
-28.98%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$0.87 ₱55.0
143.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$0.96 ₱61.1
105.21%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.23
$1.90 ₱121
150.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.16
$4.60 ₱293
271.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.96
$3.31 ₱210
170.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.34
$7.04 ₱448
193.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$2.58 ₱164
22.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.06 ₱131
-4.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$2.75 ₱175
-3.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.56
$0.92 ₱58.2
213.04%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$1.38 ₱88.0
49.28%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.32 ₱83.8
65.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.65 ₱41.09
135.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.86
$0.35 ₱22.37
177.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.19
$2.71 ₱172
157.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.01
$6.96 ₱442
13.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$0.75 ₱47.73
89.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.39
$2.95 ₱187
-8.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.94
$0.25 ₱15.80
1224.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.75
$13.59 ₱864
88.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.74
$1.00 ₱63.7
208.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$0.20 ₱12.70
640.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.20
$1.94 ₱123
1594.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.27 ₱80.7
47.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.3K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
56.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.4K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
67.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €162
$96.3 ₱6,121
89.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.65
$17.18 ₱1,092
-17.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.70
$30.29 ₱1,926
14.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.68
$31.66 ₱2,013
62.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.55
$15.57 ₱990
5.20%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.83
$4.66 ₱296
137.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €838
$267 ₱17.0K
252.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.8K
$13.5K ₱855.9K
65.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €77.9
$49.06 ₱3,119
78.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.44
$37.73 ₱2,399
2.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €92.9
$71.4 ₱4,542
46.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$78.4 ₱4,982
50.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,507
$402 ₱25.6K
321.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,187
$266 ₱16.9K
403.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,391
$724 ₱46.0K
271.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,845
$560 ₱35.6K
271.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,356
$4,249 ₱270.2K
68.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,512
$2,385 ₱151.6K
112.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
San Fernando
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,991
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
7
-54.43%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
San Fernando
$266 80.1% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
San Fernando
$167 49% $161
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
San Fernando
$67 74.9% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
San Fernando
$144 38% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
San Fernando
$106 32.1% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
San Fernando
$41 44.3% $33
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
San Fernando
$17 66.4% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $402 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $24 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $167 per month, with San Fernando cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇵🇭 San Fernando
🕒 Local time
01:09 1:09 AM
08:09 8:09 AM
7 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
354,666
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona San Fernando 11,130 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • San Fernando

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in San Fernando?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $807 in San Fernando, so San Fernando is about 67% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to San Fernando?
You’d need roughly $3,664 in Barcelona and $1,211 in San Fernando 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in San Fernando?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $402 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and San Fernando?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $267 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $807 in San Fernando versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $1,200 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and San Fernando?
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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or San Fernando?
Expats usually find San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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