Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Volta Redonda Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Volta Redonda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $761 in Volta Redonda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,180 in Volta Redonda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,598 in Volta Redonda.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 211% more expensive than Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Volta Redonda is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$7.40 R$37.45

137.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$26.60 R$135

157.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$5.30 R$26.84

165.28%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.11 R$10.71

31.75%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.19 R$6.03

135.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.85 R$4.31

142.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.22 R$11.22

100.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.82 R$14.27

63.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.84 R$4.24

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.46 R$7.41

39.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.09 R$5.52

76.15%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.22 R$11.23

49.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$11.14 R$56.4

65.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$4.40 R$22.26

115.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$9.15 R$46.32

109.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.71 R$13.71

-2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.89 R$9.59

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.64 R$8.32

29.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.78 R$9.02

60.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.39 R$7.05

46.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.24 R$6.27

49.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.95 R$4.82

54.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.17 R$0.85

394.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$2.53 R$12.82

182.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$8.91 R$45.10

-11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.27 R$6.41

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.28 R$6.49

80.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.75 R$3.80

297.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

$38.59 R$195

-24.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$1.06 R$5.37

333.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.75 R$3.81

176.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$9.26 R$46.88

215.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.10 R$5.55

67.27%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$22.0K R$111.5K

77.20%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$28.1K R$142.3K

16.35%

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

$188 €162

$54.2 R$274

246.79%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$9.84 R$49.85

133.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$20.26 R$103

81.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$18.13 R$91.8

216.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$21.68 R$110

-4.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$4.59 R$23.23

143.79%

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

$721 €621

$182 R$922

296.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$15.0K R$76.0K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$42.11 R$213

104.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$35.44 R$179

4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$45.24 R$229

125.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$74.3 R$376

55.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$245 R$1,238

527.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$179 R$906

582.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$592 R$2,996

355.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$325 R$1,647

518.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

$828 R$4,193

771.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

$675 R$3,419

668.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

$297 R$1,505

693.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

11.56

-70.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $245 in Volta Redonda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 694% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $27.00 in Volta Redonda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $199 per month, with Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Volta Redonda differ by about 211% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $761 including rent). Volta Redonda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 694% more on average, 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $245 in Volta Redonda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $182 in Volta Redonda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in Volta Redonda versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Volta Redonda but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 211% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.