Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,111 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $4,103 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 10% more expensive than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$18.30 CA$25.75

-3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$72.8 CA$102

-4.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$11.61 CA$16.33

21.96%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.30 CA$4.65

-15.15%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.51 CA$3.53

11.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.80 CA$2.53

14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$5.04 CA$7.09

-8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$5.18 CA$7.29

-9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$3.02 CA$4.25

-59.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.12 CA$4.39

-34.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.44 CA$6.24

-55.41%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.82 CA$5.37

-8.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$9.05 CA$12.74

102.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$12.95 CA$18.22

-24.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$11.34 CA$15.96

68.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$5.52 CA$7.77

-50.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.29 CA$3.23

3.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$5.50 CA$7.74

-62.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.15 CA$4.43

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.11 CA$2.97

-7.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.66 CA$3.74

-32.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$3.37 CA$4.74

-56.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$2.24 CA$3.15

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$14.48 CA$20.37

-50.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$14.08 CA$19.81

-44.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$4.29 CA$6.04

-67.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$4.79 CA$6.73

-50.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$1.89 CA$2.66

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$56.4 CA$79.4

-47.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.33 CA$4.68

30.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.75 CA$2.47

21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$30.32 CA$42.66

-2.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.28 CA$1.80

42.19%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

53.53%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$22.6K CA$31.8K

43.21%

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

$189 €166

$197 CA$277

-4.09%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$57.6 CA$81.1

-61.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$79.0 CA$111

-52.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$78.4 CA$110

-25.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$11.11 CA$15.63

85.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$8.78 CA$12.36

23.80%

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

$706 €618

$491 CA$691

43.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,797 CA$12.4K

68.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$67.2 CA$94.5

33.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$52.1 CA$73.3

-29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$83.3 CA$117

24.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$97.0 CA$136

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$948 CA$1,334

66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$747 CA$1,051

65.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$1,425 CA$2,005

90.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$1,243 CA$1,749

64.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,973 CA$2,776

281.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,575 CA$2,217

232.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$2,734 CA$3,847

-13.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.77

-49.93%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $411 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $2,118 including rent). St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $491 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.