Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sydney, NS Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sydney, NS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $1,673 in Sydney, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $2,593 in Sydney, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $3,513 in Sydney, NS.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 49% more expensive than in Sydney, NS, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Sydney, NS 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$11.47 CA$15.87

60.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$65.9 CA$91.2

5.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$7.71 CA$10.67

83.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$2.87 CA$3.97

9.06%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$2.31 CA$3.20

30.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.17 CA$3.01

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.28 CA$3.16

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.56 CA$3.54

-15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.46 CA$3.40

-31.30%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$3.40 CA$4.70

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$6.37 CA$8.81

180.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$8.42 CA$11.65

14.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$13.16 CA$18.21

46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$7.05 CA$9.76

-54.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.22 CA$1.69

78.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.40 CA$1.94

97.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.82 CA$1.13

169.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.00 CA$2.77

9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$6.35 CA$8.79

-76.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$17.82 CA$24.66

-60.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$4.29 CA$5.94

-35.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$1.10 CA$1.53

186.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

$48.95 CA$67.7

-44.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$4.28 CA$5.92

-24.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.16 CA$1.60

50.86%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$26.9K CA$37.2K

36.33%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

62.24%

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

$188 €161

$90.6 CA$125

107.05%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$35.48 CA$49.10

-56.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$74.8 CA$104

-49.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$49.57 CA$68.6

15.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

$3.63 CA$5.03

362.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$7.14 CA$9.87

62.18%

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

$1,003 €863

$721 CA$998

39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$69.1 CA$95.6

29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$68.5 CA$94.7

-40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$102 CA$141

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$108 CA$150

13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$920 CA$1,272

81.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$726 CA$1,005

83.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$1,829 CA$2,530

41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$1,412 CA$1,954

38.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$2,568 CA$3,554

-6.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.8

-45.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $920 in Sydney, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $66.0 in Sydney, NS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $263 per month, with Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sydney, NS differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $1,673 including rent). Sydney, NS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Sydney, NS. 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $920 in Sydney, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $721 in Sydney, NS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,673 in Sydney, NS versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sydney, NS but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.