Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shiraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shiraz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $549 in Shiraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $870 in Shiraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,191 in Shiraz.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 330% more expensive than in Shiraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Shiraz is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.90

$5.82 $5.82

194.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.1

$13.94 $13.94

388.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.85

$3.54 $3.54

285.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$0.97 $0.97

186.60%

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

$2.82 €2.45

$1.52 $1.52

85.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.20 $1.20

63.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.68 $0.68

86.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.51 $0.51

317.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.57 $1.57

26.75%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.15 $1.15

193.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.47

$2.96 $2.96

540.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.28

$3.74 $3.74

154.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.27

$10.00 $10.00

87.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.30

$0.87 $0.87

204.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.70 $1.70

38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.98 $0.98

113.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.56 $0.56

387.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.48 $0.48

308.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$0.48 $0.48

277.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.69 $0.69

118.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.26 $0.26

242.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.03 $1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.89

$2.33 $2.33

190.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.53

$0.19 $0.19

1431.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.90

$2.29 $2.29

1151.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.98

$0.29 $0.29

1479.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.20 $0.20

920.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.95

$1.72 $1.72

1569.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.74 $0.74

145.95%

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

$39.3K €34.2K

$73.8K $73.8K

-46.75%

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

$32.5K €28.2K

$78.8K $78.8K

-58.76%

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

$187 €162

$36.51 $36.51

411.18%

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

$22.29 €19.37

$2.03 $2.03

998.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.60

$19.07 $19.07

90.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.98

$15.87 $15.87

262.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.02

$15.46 $15.46

34.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.36

$2.05 $2.05

425.37%

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

$725 €630

$156 $156

365.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$2,139 $2,139

608.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.3

$24.06 $24.06

265.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.98

$20.75 $20.75

77.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.8

$73.5 $73.5

40.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$40.75 $40.75

190.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,324

$285 $285

434.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,066

$202 $202

506.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,370

$475 $475

474.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,724

$398 $398

398.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,489

$1,129 $1,129

561.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,555

$536 $536

878.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,079

$231 $231

933.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

22.24

-84.76%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $285 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 934% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $14.00 in Shiraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $110 per month, with Shiraz 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 Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Shiraz differ by about 330% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $549 including rent). Shiraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 934% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $285 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $156 in Shiraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 190% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $549 in Shiraz versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shiraz but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shiraz 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 Shiraz 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 Shiraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 330% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.