Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Szczecin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Szczecin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,405 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $2,031 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,657 in Szczecin.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 65% more expensive than in Szczecin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Szczecin 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$9.39 zł 35.60

88.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$48.78 zł 185

42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$8.52 zł 32.29

66.20%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.35 zł 12.69

-16.42%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.85 zł 7.00

51.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.42 zł 5.37

45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$3.29 zł 12.46

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$3.19 zł 12.09

47.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.96 zł 3.65

28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.33 zł 5.04

52.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.99 zł 3.77

100.00%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.28 zł 12.44

6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$9.42 zł 35.69

94.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$6.36 zł 24.10

54.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$12.98 zł 49.18

47.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$0.89 zł 3.38

206.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.79 zł 6.77

32.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.39 zł 5.26

49.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$2.15 zł 8.15

27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.89 zł 3.39

120.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.08 zł 4.08

65.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.02 zł 3.87

45.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.56 zł 2.14

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$5.40 zł 20.45

32.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

$6.41 zł 24.30

22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.09 zł 4.13

26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.44 zł 5.46

65.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.79 zł 3.01

281.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

$27.49 zł 104

6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$2.15 zł 8.13

102.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.01 zł 3.83

110.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$13.67 zł 51.8

116.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.75 zł 6.63

4.00%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$33.4K zł 126.7K

13.36%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$30.8K zł 116.9K

4.97%

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

$189 €165

$257 zł 974

-26.44%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$10.70 zł 40.56

108.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$17.65 zł 66.9

110.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$30.13 zł 114

92.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

$16.53 zł 62.7

24.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$6.85 zł 25.95

58.69%

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

$706 €617

$376 zł 1,424

87.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,122 zł 30.8K

83.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$56.9 zł 216

57.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$30.91 zł 117

18.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$74.2 zł 281

40.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$84.2 zł 319

41.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$658 zł 2,495

139.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$527 zł 1,999

134.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$981 zł 3,718

176.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$817 zł 3,097

149.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$3,435 zł 13.0K

119.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$2,448 zł 9,280

113.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$1,622 zł 6,150

45.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.36

-46.70%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $658 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 46% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $49.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $207 per month, with Szczecin 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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Szczecin differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,405 including rent). Szczecin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $658 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $376 in Szczecin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,405 in Szczecin versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin 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 Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.