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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $740 in Volta Redonda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,196 in Volta Redonda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,653 in Volta Redonda.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 213% more expensive than in Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Volta Redonda is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$7.08 R$36.07

149.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$26.58 R$135

162.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$5.49 R$27.93

157.92%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.09 R$10.64

33.97%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.18 R$6.03

138.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.91 R$4.65

126.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$2.19 R$11.17

110.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.87 R$14.60

63.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.82 R$4.19

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.47 R$7.46

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.11 R$5.64

78.38%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.18 R$11.08

60.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$11.13 R$56.7

64.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.33 R$22.03

127.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$8.96 R$45.61

113.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.71 R$13.78

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.90 R$9.67

25.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.69 R$8.60

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.83 R$9.30

50.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.44 R$7.31

36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.31 R$6.65

36.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.00 R$5.10

48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.20 R$1.02

355.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$2.48 R$12.64

187.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$8.46 R$43.09

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.27 R$6.45

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.24 R$6.30

92.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.73 R$3.73

312.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$38.23 R$195

-23.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.07 R$5.44

307.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.76 R$3.87

180.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$9.42 R$47.96

214.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.10 R$5.60

65.45%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$21.8K R$111.2K

73.52%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$28.3K R$143.8K

14.61%

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

$189 €166

$54.2 R$276

248.76%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$9.96 R$50.7

123.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$20.01 R$102

85.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$17.87 R$91.0

224.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$21.96 R$112

-5.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$4.38 R$22.28

148.17%

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

$706 €618

$178 R$906

296.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$15.4K R$78.2K

-3.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$41.81 R$213

113.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$35.79 R$182

2.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$44.98 R$229

131.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$74.3 R$378

60.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$244 R$1,244

546.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$180 R$917

587.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$593 R$3,019

357.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$321 R$1,632

536.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$819 R$4,171

818.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$672 R$3,420

679.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$288 R$1,466

721.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $244 in Volta Redonda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 721% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $27.00 in Volta Redonda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $198 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 213% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $740 including rent). Volta Redonda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 721% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $244 in Volta Redonda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $178 in Volta Redonda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $740 in Volta Redonda versus $2,320 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 213% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.