Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sangju Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sangju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,418 in Sangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,281 in Sangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,143 in Sangju.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 65% more expensive than Sangju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Sangju 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$8.65 ₩13.1K

97.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$54.3 ₩82.5K

27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$6.39 ₩9,696

115.65%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$3.83 ₩5,812

-27.94%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.66 ₩2,519

68.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.84 ₩1,277

136.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.63 ₩5,508

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$5.79 ₩8,796

-18.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.26 ₩3,427

-42.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.48 ₩5,279

-41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$3.13 ₩4,753

-36.42%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$3.16 ₩4,800

7.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$14.22 ₩21.6K

32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$10.70 ₩16.2K

-12.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$34.40 ₩52.2K

-44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$8.08 ₩12.3K

-66.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.47 ₩5,265

-32.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$5.64 ₩8,560

-62.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$6.73 ₩10.2K

-57.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$3.89 ₩5,905

-49.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.88 ₩4,370

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.58 ₩3,923

-43.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.16 ₩1,768

-25.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$3.27 ₩4,963

107.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$9.85 ₩15.0K

-19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.38 ₩3,615

-41.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.27 ₩4,968

-27.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.10 ₩1,675

165.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.63 ₩5,518

22.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.53 ₩804

286.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$9.03 ₩13.7K

227.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.25 ₩1,898

45.60%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$27.8K ₩42.2M

39.66%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$24.9K ₩37.7M

33.17%

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

$189 €163

$166 ₩252.6K

13.77%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$34.50 ₩52.4K

-33.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$22.53 ₩34.2K

66.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$47.18 ₩71.7K

22.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$10.84 ₩16.5K

-0.18%

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

$728 €628

$405 ₩615.4K

79.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$23.7K ₩36.1M

-37.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$58.4 ₩88.6K

51.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$46.96 ₩71.3K

-21.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$80.6 ₩122.3K

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$49.53 ₩75.2K

134.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$455 ₩690.8K

244.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$380 ₩577.3K

220.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,060 ₩1.6M

163.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$758 ₩1.2M

160.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$9,799 ₩14.9M

-20.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$5,270 ₩8.0M

-1.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,235 ₩1.9M

89.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.14

-18.12%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sangju: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $455 in Sangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 90% 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 $54.0 in Sangju. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $479, with Barcelona 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 Sangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sangju differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,418 including rent). Sangju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 90% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $455 in Sangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $405 in Sangju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sangju – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,418 in Sangju versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sangju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sangju 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 Sangju 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 Sangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.