Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shakhty Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shakhty

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $954 in Shakhty.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $1,471 in Shakhty.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $1,988 in Shakhty.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 145% more expensive than Shakhty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Shakhty is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$9.33 ₽700

87.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$37.47 ₽2,812

86.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$5.83 ₽437

138.59%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$2.36 ₽177

16.10%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$1.13 ₽84.9

138.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$0.52 ₽38.68

290.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$1.38 ₽103

226.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$2.58 ₽193

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.12 ₽83.9

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$0.71 ₽53.2

195.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$1.43 ₽108

39.16%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$1.80 ₽135

91.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$10.78 ₽809

72.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$4.78 ₽359

96.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$8.71 ₽654

114.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$1.82 ₽137

43.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.81 ₽136

32.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$1.90 ₽143

15.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$2.79 ₽209

0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$0.78 ₽58.6

160.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$0.67 ₽50.4

179.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.41 ₽106

2.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.71 ₽52.9

29.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$2.96 ₽222

130.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$8.28 ₽621

-6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.99 ₽74.5

39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$1.94 ₽146

20.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$0.54 ₽40.16

433.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$1.89 ₽142

134.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$0.33 ₽24.54

548.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$6.44 ₽483

349.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$0.72 ₽54.1

163.89%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$34.3K ₽2.6M

10.63%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$35.8K ₽2.7M

-6.87%

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

$186 €158

$111 ₽8,311

67.61%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$5.97 ₽448

271.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$7.67 ₽575

376.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$35.98 ₽2,700

62.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$4.96 ₽372

123.79%

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

$705 €601

$323 ₽24.2K

118.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$6,945 ₽521.2K

118.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$70.3 ₽5,275

22.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$45.28 ₽3,398

-18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$114 ₽8,550

-8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$109 ₽8,154

6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$452 ₽33.9K

240.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$306 ₽23.0K

306.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$759 ₽57.0K

259.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$502 ₽37.7K

300.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$2,111 ₽158.4K

239.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

$1,639 ₽123.0K

195.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$403 ₽30.2K

514.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

15.33

-77.89%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $452 in Shakhty. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 514% 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 in Barcelona vs $37 in Shakhty for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $198 per month, with Shakhty 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 Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Shakhty differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $954 including rent). Shakhty is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 514% 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: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $452 in Shakhty. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $323 in Shakhty. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shakhty – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $954 in Shakhty versus $2,336 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shakhty but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shakhty 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 Shakhty 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 Shakhty gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.