😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $928 in Thung Song.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,489 in Thung Song.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $2,050 in Thung Song.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 155% more expensive than Thung Song, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Thung Song is 31% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58€15.14
$4.60฿150
282.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4€58.9
$18.60฿607
267.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.06€12.10
$8.56฿280
64.25%
Cappuccino
$2.78€2.39
$2.36฿76.9
17.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80€2.41
$0.68฿22.36
311.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06€1.78
$0.32฿10.60
543.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.46€3.84
$2.40฿78.4
85.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61€3.97
$3.74฿122
23.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.07
$2.22฿72.5
-44.14%
White Bread(500g)
$2.03€1.75
$1.88฿61.3
7.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$2.16฿70.5
-11.11%
Eggs
$3.31€2.85
$2.26฿73.9
46.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.43€15.87
$19.83฿648
-7.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.49€8.17
$3.73฿122
154.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.16€16.49
$13.29฿434
44.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.64€2.27
$3.35฿109
-21.19%
Banana(1kg)
$2.45€2.11
$1.70฿55.5
44.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12€1.83
$0.65฿21.37
226.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.85€2.45
$2.08฿67.9
37.02%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.75
$1.61฿52.6
26.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.85€1.59
$1.50฿49.08
23.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47€1.27
$1.03฿33.49
42.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84€0.73
$0.52฿16.98
61.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.14€6.15
$4.38฿143
63.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.88€6.79
$19.39฿633
-59.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.19
$1.80฿58.7
-23.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31€1.99
$2.28฿74.5
1.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.98€2.57
$0.89฿29.09
234.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.26€25.19
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.60€3.96
$2.26฿73.9
103.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.07€1.78
$1.04฿34.11
99.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.18€25.12
$13.96฿456
109.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84€1.58
$1.16฿38.02
58.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K€33.6K
$28.0K฿913.6K
39.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K€28.1K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-2.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188€162
$30.26฿988
520.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.93€19.74
$6.05฿198
279.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.71€31.61
$13.98฿457
162.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.4€49.39
$49.96฿1,632
14.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.70€17.82
$12.28฿401
68.57%
Cinema Ticket
$11.19€9.64
$9.17฿299
22.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$721€621
$696฿22.7K
3.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K€13.0K
$16.0K฿523.1K
-6.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.2€74.2
$28.08฿917
207.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.07€31.92
$18.77฿613
97.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€87.8
$115฿3,753
-11.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116€99.8
$85.5฿2,793
35.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,534€1,320
$416฿13.6K
268.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,220€1,051
$287฿9,384
324.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,696€2,321
$820฿26.8K
228.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,013€1,733
$665฿21.7K
202.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,220€6,216
$1,757฿57.4K
310.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,189€4,467
$1,606฿52.5K
223.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Thung Song
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,359€2,031
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
5
-32.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026
Last update for Thung Song: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $416 in Thung Song. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $19.00 in Thung Song for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $287 per month, with Thung Song 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 Thung Song: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Thung Song?
Barcelona and Thung Song differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $928 including rent). Thung Song is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Thung Song?
You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $1,392 in Thung Song to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Thung Song?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $416 in Thung Song. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Thung Song?
Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $696 in Thung Song. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Thung Song – 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.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $928 in Thung Song versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Thung Song but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Thung Song the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Thung Song?
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.
Is Barcelona or Thung Song safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Thung Song are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Thung Song?
Expats usually find Thung Song gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.