Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Zaragoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Zaragoza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $633 in Zaragoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,038 in Zaragoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,443 in Zaragoza.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 292% more expensive than in Zaragoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Zaragoza is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$7.14 $7.14

157.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$29.88 $29.88

132.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$7.15 $7.15

96.50%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$1.53 $1.53

103.27%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.11 $1.11

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.79 $0.79

146.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.23 $1.23

224.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$2.05 $2.05

125.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.75 $1.75

-24.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.20 $2.20

-4.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.02 $1.02

79.41%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.47 $2.47

108.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$7.81 $7.81

124.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$3.80 $3.80

150.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$5.43 $5.43

267.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$4.01 $4.01

-20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.48 $1.48

49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.99 $2.99

-12.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.21 $2.21

28.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$3.03 $3.03

-28.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.86 $1.86

13.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.97 $0.97

67.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.78 $0.78

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$3.93 $3.93

82.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$8.18 $8.18

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.56 $1.56

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.20 $2.20

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$1.54 $1.54

103.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$5.08 $5.08

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.09 $3.09

-51.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$20.39 $20.39

72.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.12 $1.12

56.25%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$24.7K $24.7K

48.54%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

24.40%

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

$187 €161

$44.93 $44.93

316.47%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$21.64 $21.64

-30.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$34.38 $34.38

9.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$35.03 $35.03

58.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$4.85 $4.85

141.44%

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

$1,011 €871

$151 $151

570.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$4,682 $4,682

264.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$67.1 $67.1

36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$46.98 $46.98

-12.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$110 $110

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$70.1 $70.1

79.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

8.5

-62.82%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zaragoza: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $30.00 in Zaragoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $219 per month, with Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Zaragoza differ by about 292% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $633 including rent). Zaragoza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,724 in Barcelona and $950 in Zaragoza 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.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $151 in Zaragoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaragoza – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $633 in Zaragoza versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaragoza but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 292% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.