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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $555 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $888 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,221 in Taraz.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 318% more expensive than in Taraz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Taraz is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$5.82 ₸2,739

203.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$19.52 ₸9,191

256.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$5.95 ₸2,802

137.98%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.36 ₸639

105.88%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.76 ₸360

269.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.38 ₸177

442.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$1.20 ₸563

283.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$1.60 ₸755

193.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.94 ₸443

30.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.38 ₸178

434.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.14 ₸536

73.68%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.73 ₸816

101.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$8.78 ₸4,134

108.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$4.56 ₸2,148

115.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$7.29 ₸3,432

162.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.30 ₸612

110.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.89 ₸891

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.93 ₸907

7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.88 ₸885

46.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.54 ₸255

262.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.41 ₸191

336.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.99 ₸467

49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.76 ₸360

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$1.98 ₸930

260.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$4.11 ₸1,934

91.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.92 ₸434

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.59 ₸747

50.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.18 ₸84.6

1572.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.77 ₸360

466.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.38 ₸180

460.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$3.44 ₸1,619

760.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.45 ₸213

304.44%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$20.3K ₸9.5M

86.98%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$21.3K ₸10.0M

52.00%

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

$189 €165

$50.1 ₸23.6K

277.23%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$7.87 ₸3,707

183.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$7.73 ₸3,641

380.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$32.02 ₸15.1K

81.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$3.84 ₸1,806

183.07%

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

$706 €618

$211 ₸99.1K

235.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$4,944 ₸2.3M

200.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$23.76 ₸11.2K

276.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$38.49 ₸18.1K

-4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$98.6 ₸46.4K

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$58.0 ₸27.3K

105.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$237 ₸111.8K

564.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$98.7 ₸46.5K

1154.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$398 ₸187.3K

581.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$179 ₸84.1K

1041.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$812 ₸382.5K

826.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$563 ₸265.2K

829.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$264 ₸124.4K

794.71%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $237 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 795% 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 $20.00 in Taraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $162 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 318% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $555 including rent). Taraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 795% 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 $237 in Taraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $211 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 $20.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $555 in Taraz versus $2,320 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 318% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.