Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Torun

For one person, living is cheaper in Torun: $1,295 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Torun, Poland
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Torun
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,295
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Torun

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Torun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $1,295 in Torun.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Torun $1,295

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $1,886 in Torun.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Torun $1,886

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $2,477 in Torun.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Torun $2,477

Living in Barcelona is roughly 89% more expensive than in Torun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Torun is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.78
$9.97 zł 39.32
76.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.6
$51.7 zł 204
30.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.14
$9.01 zł 35.53
50.17%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$3.55 zł 14.01
-10.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$2.08 zł 8.22
39.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$1.62 zł 6.41
16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.60
$2.57 zł 10.14
56.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
$4.14 zł 16.33
9.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$0.93 zł 3.65
40.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.20 zł 4.73
68.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.62 zł 6.39
14.20%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.34
$2.90 zł 11.43
66.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €15.02
$7.69 zł 30.34
117.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.18
$5.92 zł 23.35
54.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.62
$13.87 zł 54.7
41.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$1.07 zł 4.23
178.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.65 zł 6.51
22.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$1.56 zł 6.14
73.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.52
$3.29 zł 13.00
-14.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$0.91 zł 3.60
129.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.86
$1.38 zł 5.43
50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.44 zł 5.68
1.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.55 zł 2.18
70.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.17
$4.55 zł 17.97
50.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.08
$6.96 zł 27.45
13.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.50 zł 5.92
-6.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
$2.15 zł 8.48
18.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$1.11 zł 4.38
182.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.83
$25.33 zł 99.9
0.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$1.99 zł 7.87
50.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.01 zł 3.97
47.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.95
$6.37 zł 25.11
423.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$1.60 zł 6.30
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.8K
$30.3K zł 119.5K
9.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$27.0K zł 106.7K
17.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$183 zł 723
-1.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.42
$10.31 zł 40.68
34.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.24
$16.69 zł 65.8
101.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.22
$38.37 zł 151
34.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.32
$21.88 zł 86.3
-27.06%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.87
$7.70 zł 30.37
42.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €823
$241 zł 949
280.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$4,979 zł 19.6K
230.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €78.1
$86.1 zł 340
1.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.55
$38.92 zł 154
-1.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.9
$84.4 zł 333
25.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$116 zł 456
3.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,525
$528 zł 2,084
221.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,216
$448 zł 1,767
202.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,335
$848 zł 3,345
206.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,851
$595 zł 2,348
246.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,205
$3,299 zł 13.0K
109.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,601
$2,193 zł 8,651
133.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Torun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,984
$1,748 zł 6,896
26.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
6.21
-47.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Torun: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Torun
$448 67% $907
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Torun
$215 33.1% $107
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Torun
$185 30.8% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Torun
$210 7.7% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Torun
$146 7.4% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Torun
$54 26.8% $20
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Torun
$37 24.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $528 in Torun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 26% 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: $67 in Barcelona vs $52 in Torun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $215 per month, with Torun cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇵🇱 Torun
🕒 Local time
14:56 2:56 PM
14:56 2:56 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
196,935
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.94 PLN (1 PLN = 0.253 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Torun 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Torun

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Torun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Torun?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $1,295 in Torun, so Torun is about 47% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Torun?
Average pay runs 26% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Torun?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $528 in Torun. 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 Torun?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $241 in Torun. 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 Torun – a meal for two runs $52 versus $67 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 $1,295 in Torun versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Torun but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Torun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Torun?
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 Torun safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Torun are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Torun?
It comes down to priorities – Torun wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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