Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Wonju

For one person, living is cheaper in Wonju: $1,549 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Barcelona, Spain
Wonju, South Korea
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Wonju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,549
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Wonju

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 Wonju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $1,549 in Wonju.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Wonju $1,549

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $2,516 in Wonju.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Wonju $2,516

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $3,483 in Wonju.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Wonju $3,483

Living in Barcelona is roughly 58% more expensive than in Wonju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Wonju 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.75
$7.44 ₩10.0K
137.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.2
$48.11 ₩64.6K
40.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.14
$6.72 ₩9,026
102.53%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.77
$3.68 ₩4,950
-15.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.68
$1.86 ₩2,494
61.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.40 ₩1,881
37.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.43
$3.77 ₩5,061
1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.89
$4.30 ₩5,777
1.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$2.22 ₩2,987
-43.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.90
$3.19 ₩4,283
-33.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$3.05 ₩4,100
-35.41%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.25
$2.63 ₩3,539
80.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.22
$10.97 ₩14.7K
55.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.99
$10.34 ₩13.9K
-13.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.42
$24.64 ₩33.1K
-16.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.82
$11.24 ₩15.1K
-71.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$3.58 ₩4,814
-44.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.37
$7.84 ₩10.5K
-66.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$6.08 ₩8,175
-52.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$5.80 ₩7,795
-64.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$3.25 ₩4,364
-32.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.37
$2.75 ₩3,689
-44.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.87
$1.27 ₩1,704
-23.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.21
$3.27 ₩4,394
113.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.04
$18.24 ₩24.5K
-56.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$2.44 ₩3,275
-41.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.40
$3.63 ₩4,880
-25.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.95
$0.97 ₩1,309
241.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.84
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.75
$3.55 ₩4,766
-13.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$0.64 ₩856
131.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.32
$14.85 ₩20.0K
121.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.18 ₩1,579
58.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.4K
$38.6K ₩51.9M
-14.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.5K
$33.3K ₩44.7M
-4.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$202 ₩271.7K
-9.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.70
$36.46 ₩49.0K
-60.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.83
$27.33 ₩36.7K
26.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.87
$52.4 ₩70.4K
-1.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.62
$11.90 ₩16.0K
37.65%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.87
$12.10 ₩16.3K
-8.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €842
$477 ₩641.1K
97.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.9K
$21.8K ₩29.4M
1.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.2
$104 ₩139.6K
-15.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.59
$64.7 ₩86.9K
-40.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$91.5 ₩122.9K
14.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$128 ₩171.5K
-7.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,514
$507 ₩681.5K
234.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,192
$377 ₩505.9K
255.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,401
$1,239 ₩1.7M
117.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,853
$916 ₩1.2M
126.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,382
$6,883 ₩9.2M
3.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,530
$6,178 ₩8.3M
-17.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Wonju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,999
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
4.22
-24.41%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Wonju: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Wonju
$377 71.8% $960
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Wonju
$481 46.7% $153
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Wonju
$164 38.4% $103
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Wonju
$266 14.8% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Wonju
$174 11.2% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Wonju
$77 4.1% $3
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Wonju
$11 * 78.5% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $507 in Wonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $48 in Wonju. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $481, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇰🇷 Wonju
🕒 Local time
11:10 11:10 AM
19:10 7:10 PM
8 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
340,196
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1,344 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Wonju 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Wonju

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 Wonju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Wonju?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $1,549 in Wonju, so Wonju is about 37% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Wonju?
You’d need roughly $3,664 in Barcelona and $2,324 in Wonju 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 in Wonju?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $507 in Wonju. 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 Wonju?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $477 in Wonju. 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 Wonju – a meal for two runs $48 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,549 in Wonju versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wonju but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Wonju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Wonju?
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 Wonju safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Wonju are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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