Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shaab Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shaab

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,375 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,359 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $3,344 in Shaab.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 72% more expensive than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Shaab 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$9.63 KWD 2.96

78.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$82.5 KWD 25.37

-17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$8.98 KWD 2.76

51.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$5.85 KWD 1.80

-52.48%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.65 KWD 0.20

333.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.35 KWD 0.11

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.23 KWD 0.38

73.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.79 KWD 0.55

11.17%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.05 KWD 0.63

64.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$5.06 KWD 1.56

274.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$6.31 KWD 1.94

51.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$10.17 KWD 3.13

84.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.38 KWD 0.73

11.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.97 KWD 0.61

19.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.79 KWD 0.55

16.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.50 KWD 0.46

82.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.23 KWD 0.38

59.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.28 KWD 0.39

41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-5.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.45 KWD 0.14

97.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.99 KWD 0.92

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.82 KWD 0.25

254.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$44.43 KWD 13.67

-35.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$3.21 KWD 0.99

42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-37.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$16.30 KWD 5.01

76.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.36 KWD 0.11

405.56%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$20.9K KWD 6,429

88.13%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$19.6K KWD 6,018

65.99%

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

$187 €162

$62.8 KWD 19.30

197.42%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$18.65 KWD 5.74

19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$25.32 KWD 7.79

43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$92.2 KWD 28.35

-37.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$45.43 KWD 13.98

-54.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$11.38 KWD 3.50

-5.36%

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

$725 €628

$402 KWD 124

80.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$6,464 KWD 1,988

134.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$42.97 KWD 13.22

104.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$42.84 KWD 13.18

-14.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$86.7 KWD 26.67

19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$80.8 KWD 24.85

46.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$796 KWD 245

91.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$620 KWD 191

97.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,591 KWD 489

71.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$1,288 KWD 396

53.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$3,166 KWD 974

-24.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.14

-52.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shaab: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $796 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $82.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $178, with Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Shaab differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,375 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Shaab. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $796 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $402 in Shaab. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,375 in Shaab versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab 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 Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.