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: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $628 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,007 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,385 in Taraz.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 295% more expensive than in Taraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Taraz is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$8.60 ₸3,875

114.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$22.04 ₸9,933

214.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$6.47 ₸2,915

117.16%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$1.57 ₸709

98.09%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.91 ₸408

225.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.46 ₸206

323.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.08 ₸485

269.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$1.78 ₸803

159.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.09 ₸490

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.41 ₸183

414.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.34 ₸604

36.57%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$1.73 ₸778

198.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$10.19 ₸4,592

72.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$5.16 ₸2,323

84.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$8.45 ₸3,810

135.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$1.20 ₸541

164.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.18 ₸983

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.57 ₸1,160

1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.41 ₸634

102.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$0.51 ₸232

325.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.40 ₸180

427.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.96 ₸434

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.78 ₸352

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$2.49 ₸1,120

187.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$4.39 ₸1,978

89.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.04 ₸467

44.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.57 ₸710

75.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$0.20 ₸89.9

1470.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$0.89 ₸401

261.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.38 ₸170

297.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$3.84 ₸1,731

818.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.64 ₸288

173.44%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$27.7K ₸12.5M

32.55%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$27.4K ₸12.3M

15.61%

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

$187 €161

$46.57 ₸21.0K

301.80%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$8.57 ₸3,861

76.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$8.84 ₸3,985

325.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$36.31 ₸16.4K

52.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$4.35 ₸1,960

169.20%

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

$1,011 €871

$57.6 ₸25.9K

1655.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$26.34 ₸11.9K

246.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$33.85 ₸15.3K

21.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$111 ₸50.0K

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$52.9 ₸23.9K

138.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$268 ₸120.8K

535.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$112 ₸50.3K

1063.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$437 ₸196.9K

492.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$200 ₸90.2K

864.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$836 ₸376.7K

824.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$598 ₸269.5K

800.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$276 ₸124.3K

760.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

17.83

-82.28%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Taraz: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $268 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 761% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $22.00 in Taraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $178 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 295% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $628 including rent). Taraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 761% 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $268 in Taraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $57.6 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 $22.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $628 in Taraz versus $2,482 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 295% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.