Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Southampton Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Southampton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $3,686 in Southampton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $8,489 in Southampton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $13.3K in Southampton.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 36% less than in Southampton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Southampton 175% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$59.1 BMD 59.1

-70.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$177 BMD 177

-61.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$14.88 BMD 14.88

-5.51%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$6.47 BMD 6.47

-57.03%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$3.33 BMD 3.33

-15.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.94 BMD 2.94

-29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$9.90 BMD 9.90

-54.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$8.40 BMD 8.40

-45.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$4.34 BMD 4.34

-71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$8.63 BMD 8.63

-76.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$5.43 BMD 5.43

-64.64%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$7.65 BMD 7.65

-56.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$11.48 BMD 11.48

60.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$24.02 BMD 24.02

-60.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$32.59 BMD 32.59

-41.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$10.18 BMD 10.18

-74.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$6.43 BMD 6.43

-61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$12.66 BMD 12.66

-83.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$11.41 BMD 11.41

-75.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$8.31 BMD 8.31

-75.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$5.16 BMD 5.16

-64.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$6.15 BMD 6.15

-76.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$3.21 BMD 3.21

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$17.76 BMD 17.76

-59.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$25.42 BMD 25.42

-69.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$5.43 BMD 5.43

-74.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.39 BMD 4.39

-47.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$6.40 BMD 6.40

-28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$53.8 BMD 53.8

-45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.01 BMD 2.01

-8.46%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$34.3K BMD 34.3K

13.72%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$38.4K BMD 38.4K

-14.93%

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

$188 €162

$232 BMD 232

-19.07%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$120 BMD 120

-80.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$157 BMD 157

-76.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$13.51 BMD 13.51

-17.17%

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

$721 €620

$1,342 BMD 1,342

-46.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$24.4K BMD 24.4K

-38.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$78.5 BMD 78.5

9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$60.8 BMD 60.8

-39.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$139 BMD 139

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$126 BMD 126

-8.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$1,518 BMD 1,518

-19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$7,968 BMD 7,968

-74.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$9,756 BMD 9,756

-75.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.22

-53.05%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Southampton: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Southampton pays 314% 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 $177 in Southampton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $817 per month, with Barcelona 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 Southampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Southampton differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $3,686 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Southampton earns 314% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $1,342 in Southampton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $177 in Southampton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,367 in Barcelona versus $3,686 in Southampton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Southampton. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 Southampton 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Southampton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.