Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $647 in Ben Arous versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Ben Arous versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,479 in Ben Arous versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Ben Arous costs roughly 73% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ben Arous is 51% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 TND 10.17

$17.15 €14.86

-79.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.78 TND 63.9

$68.1 €58.9

-68.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 TND 12.36

$13.64 €11.82

-69.13%

Cappuccino

$0.77 TND 2.26

$2.78 €2.41

-72.30%

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

$0.65 TND 1.90

$2.82 €2.44

-76.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.75

$1.96 €1.70

-86.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.34

$4.43 €3.84

-66.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.62

$4.61 €3.99

-58.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.27 €1.10

-61.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 TND 0.51

$2.13 €1.85

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 TND 4.74

$1.99 €1.72

-18.59%

Eggs

$1.58 TND 4.63

$3.37 €2.92

-53.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 TND 32.86

$18.96 €16.42

-40.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 TND 18.51

$9.53 €8.26

-33.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.92 TND 43.77

$18.73 €16.22

-20.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.14

$2.65 €2.29

-21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.72

$2.35 €2.04

26.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 TND 3.44

$2.09 €1.81

-44.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.09

$2.73 €2.37

-73.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 TND 2.35

$1.96 €1.70

-59.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.24

$1.81 €1.56

-58.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.36

$1.51 €1.31

-69.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$0.89 €0.77

-64.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 TND 10.30

$6.78 €5.87

-48.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 TND 19.30

$7.92 €6.86

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TND 3.21

$1.37 €1.19

-20.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.69

$2.40 €2.08

-47.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TND 1.24

$2.91 €2.52

-85.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.33 TND 39.13

$28.66 €24.82

-53.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$4.58 €3.96

-93.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$2.04 €1.77

-83.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 TND 10.05

$28.72 €24.87

-88.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.57

$1.82 €1.58

-51.65%

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

$40.6K TND 119.0K

$39.3K €34.0K

3.16%

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

$34.2K TND 100.4K

$32.5K €28.1K

5.39%

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

$48.99 TND 144

$187 €162

-73.75%

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

$10.12 TND 29.69

$22.29 €19.30

-54.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.98 TND 61.6

$36.37 €31.50

-42.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.65 TND 95.8

$57.5 €49.82

-43.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 TND 49.21

$20.74 €17.96

-19.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 TND 14.57

$10.77 €9.33

-53.95%

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

$110 TND 321

$725 €628

-84.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,449 TND 7,187

$15.2K €13.1K

-83.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.12 TND 129

$87.9 €76.1

-49.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 TND 129

$36.81 €31.88

19.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 TND 287

$103 €89.6

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 TND 237

$119 €103

-31.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 TND 542

$1,524 €1,319

-87.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 TND 403

$1,227 €1,062

-88.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 TND 1,084

$2,727 €2,362

-86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 TND 808

$1,984 €1,718

-86.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$933 TND 2,739

$7,469 €6,468

-87.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$425 TND 1,248

$5,243 €4,541

-91.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 TND 755

$2,393 €2,072

-89.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

3.39

223.30%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in Ben Arous and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 829% 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: $22.00 in Ben Arous vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $319 per month, with Ben Arous 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

Ben Arous vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ben Arous and Barcelona differ by about 264% in total monthly costs ($647 vs $2,359 including rent). Ben Arous is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 829% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $185 in Ben Arous versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $110 in Ben Arous versus $725 in Barcelona. 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 $647 in Ben Arous versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ben Arous but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ben Arous 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, Ben Arous and Barcelona 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 Ben Arous gentler on the wallet – expenses run 264% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.