Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Taraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Taraz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $553 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $886 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,220 in Taraz.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 328% more expensive than Taraz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$5.89 ₸2,885

198.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$19.45 ₸9,534

251.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$5.71 ₸2,799

146.23%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$1.35 ₸663

105.93%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.79 ₸388

254.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.37 ₸184

456.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.16 ₸567

284.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$1.58 ₸772

191.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.01 ₸494

22.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.38 ₸185

434.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.14 ₸557

68.42%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.73 ₸850

91.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$8.55 ₸4,189

115.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.61 ₸2,258

105.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$7.18 ₸3,519

166.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.31 ₸641

101.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.88 ₸923

30.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.90 ₸931

11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.88 ₸922

51.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.55 ₸268

270.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.38 ₸185

386.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.92 ₸452

59.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.71 ₸349

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$1.97 ₸966

262.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$3.97 ₸1,945

98.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.01 ₸494

36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.52 ₸744

51.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.16 ₸80.2

1762.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$0.75 ₸368

513.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.41 ₸202

404.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$3.43 ₸1,680

750.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.45 ₸221

308.89%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$20.0K ₸9.8M

94.90%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$21.7K ₸10.6M

50.99%

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

$188 €162

$50.8 ₸24.9K

269.65%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$8.00 ₸3,922

186.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$7.83 ₸3,837

368.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$32.35 ₸15.9K

77.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$3.84 ₸1,881

191.41%

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

$721 €620

$208 ₸102.0K

246.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$4,932 ₸2.4M

204.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$23.71 ₸11.6K

263.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$38.49 ₸18.9K

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$99.3 ₸48.7K

2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$59.1 ₸28.9K

96.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$236 ₸115.8K

549.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$99.6 ₸48.8K

1125.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$390 ₸191.2K

590.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$173 ₸84.6K

1066.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$783 ₸383.5K

822.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$558 ₸273.6K

829.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$252 ₸123.5K

836.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

16.25

-79.14%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Taraz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $236 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 836% 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 $19.00 in Taraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $161 per month, with Taraz 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Taraz differ by about 328% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $553 including rent). Taraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 836% more on average, 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $236 in Taraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $208 in Taraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Taraz – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Taraz versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz 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 Taraz 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 328% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.