Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Zutphen

For one person, living costs are similar in Barcelona and in Zutphen: $2,381 and $2,468 a month, rent and utilities included.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Zutphen
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,468
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Zutphen

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,381 in Barcelona versus $2,468 in Zutphen.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Zutphen $2,468

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Barcelona versus $3,496 in Zutphen.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Zutphen $3,496

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Barcelona versus $4,525 in Zutphen.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Zutphen $4,525

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 4% less than in Zutphen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 76% above, Zutphen 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €15.92
$19.74 €17.55
-9.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €58.9
$45.16 €40.17
46.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.18
$12.47 €11.09
9.78%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.27 €2.91
-6.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.73
$1.72 €1.53
78.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$3.13 €2.78
-38.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.44
$8.26 €7.35
-53.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.10
$5.56 €4.94
-17.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.30 €1.16
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.27 €2.02
-7.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.62
$2.48 €2.21
-26.21%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.11
$3.95 €3.51
16.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.44
$12.58 €11.19
38.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.25
$5.44 €4.84
70.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.64
$13.19 €11.74
50.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$2.56 €2.28
17.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.55 €2.27
-20.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.91 €1.69
38.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$4.34 €3.86
-33.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$1.90 €1.69
13.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.28 €2.03
-5.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.28 €1.14
14.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.79 €0.71
11.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.16
$13.94 €12.40
-50.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €6.96
$6.55 €5.83
19.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.48 €1.32
-6.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.64 €2.35
-0.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.59
$3.66 €3.25
-20.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.64
$86.2 €76.7
-70.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.66
$4.08 €3.63
-26.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.36 €2.99
-57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.53
$28.18 €25.06
17.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.42 €2.15
-23.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$42.1K €37.5K
-23.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.2K
$40.0K €35.6K
-20.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$296 €263
-38.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.11
$17.39 €15.47
-21.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.29
$49.06 €43.64
-32.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.65
$40.64 €36.15
34.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.70
$22.66 €20.15
-27.10%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$15.34 €13.65
-26.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €849
$1,260 €1,121
-24.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.8K
$11.0K €9,818
50.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.5
$82.3 €73.2
4.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.78
$38.44 €34.20
1.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.2
$113 €101
-8.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$126 €112
-6.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,508
$1,428 €1,270
18.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,135
$1,170 €1,041
9.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,291
$2,449 €2,179
5.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,710
$1,883 €1,675
2.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,477
$4,701 €4,182
54.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,456
$4,613 €4,104
8.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Zutphen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,981
$6,071 €5,400
-63.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
4.42
-25.79%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Zutphen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Zutphen
$1.2K 8.3% $106
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Zutphen
$274 15.7% $51
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Zutphen
$306 13.7% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Zutphen
$362 58% $133
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Zutphen
$162 3.6% $5.7
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Zutphen
$71 7.6% $5.8
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Zutphen
$122 157% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,428 in Zutphen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zutphen pays 173% 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: $66.0 in Barcelona vs $45.00 in Zutphen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $274 per month, with Zutphen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇳🇱 Zutphen
🕒 Local time
12:19 12:19 PM
12:19 12:19 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
38,642
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Zutphen 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Zutphen

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 Zutphen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Zutphen?
Barcelona and Zutphen differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,381 vs $2,468 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 173% lower in Zutphen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Zutphen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,428 in Zutphen. 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 Zutphen?
Childcare runs $954 in Barcelona versus $1,260 in Zutphen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Zutphen pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,381 in Barcelona versus $2,468 in Zutphen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Zutphen. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Zutphen?
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 Zutphen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Zutphen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Zutphen?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Zutphen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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