Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Vienna Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Vienna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $2,337 in Vienna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $3,519 in Vienna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $4,701 in Vienna.

Monthly costs are close between Barcelona and Vienna; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Vienna 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$17.58 €14.99

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$85.3 €72.8

-18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$11.41 €9.73

21.91%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$5.06 €4.32

-45.85%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$3.55 €3.03

-23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$3.07 €2.62

-33.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$5.70 €4.86

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$5.06 €4.31

-8.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.74 €1.48

-26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.78 €2.37

-24.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$2.74 €2.34

-27.37%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$4.46 €3.81

-22.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$17.04 €14.53

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$14.98 €12.78

-37.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$23.74 €20.25

-21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$2.97 €2.53

-12.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$3.50 €2.99

-37.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$4.17 €3.56

-32.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.17 €1.85

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.08 €1.77

-10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.96 €1.67

-26.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.86 €0.73

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$7.70 €6.57

-11.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$8.34 €7.11

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.41 €1.20

-2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.02 €1.72

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$2.70 €2.30

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

$39.74 €33.90

-26.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$4.74 €4.04

-6.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$2.06 €1.76

3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$38.90 €33.18

-25.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$1.91 €1.63

-0.52%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$31.5K €26.9K

20.26%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$33.0K €28.1K

1.05%

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

$186 €158

$329 €280

-43.49%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$16.94 €14.45

30.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$40.09 €34.20

-8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$48.17 €41.09

21.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

$25.89 €22.08

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$13.86 €11.82

-19.91%

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

$705 €601

$329 €280

114.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$23.2K €19.8K

-34.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$101 €86.0

-14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$44.92 €38.32

-17.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$101 €86.0

3.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$159 €136

-27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$1,235 €1,053

24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$876 €747

41.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$2,278 €1,943

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$1,668 €1,423

20.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$13.9K €11.9K

-48.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

$6,419 €5,476

-24.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$3,582 €3,055

-30.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.6

-5.83%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Last update for Vienna: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $1,235 in Vienna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70 in Barcelona vs $85 in Vienna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $392 per month, with Barcelona 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 Vienna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Vienna earns 45% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $1,235 in Vienna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $329 in Vienna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $85.0 in Vienna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,336 in Barcelona versus $2,337 in Vienna, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Vienna. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 Vienna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Barcelona wins on affordability, Vienna on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.