🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $987 in Benares versus $2,320 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Benares versus $3,426 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,212 in Benares versus $4,532 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Benares costs roughly 57% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Benares is 26% below, Barcelona is 74% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.64MUR 312
$17.66€15.45
-62.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.59MUR 2,095
$69.7€61.0
-36.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.51MUR 306
$14.16€12.39
-54.03%
Cappuccino
$2.68MUR 126
$2.80€2.45
-4.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01MUR 47.27
$2.81€2.46
-64.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57MUR 26.71
$2.06€1.81
-72.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.10MUR 98.5
$4.60€4.02
-54.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78MUR 130
$4.69€4.10
-40.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49MUR 70.1
$1.23€1.08
21.14%
White Bread(500g)
$0.71MUR 33.14
$2.03€1.78
-65.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.31MUR 61.7
$1.98€1.73
-33.84%
Eggs
$2.23MUR 105
$3.49€3.05
-36.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.11MUR 475
$18.33€16.04
-44.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.17MUR 290
$9.83€8.60
-37.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.58MUR 497
$19.13€16.73
-44.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.06MUR 97.0
$2.73€2.38
-24.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97MUR 92.8
$2.38€2.09
-17.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.43MUR 67.3
$2.08€1.82
-31.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.61MUR 122
$2.75€2.41
-5.09%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97MUR 45.64
$1.96€1.72
-50.51%
Onion(1kg)
$0.98MUR 46.18
$1.79€1.57
-45.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.83MUR 39.18
$1.48€1.29
-43.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56MUR 26.51
$0.91€0.80
-38.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.94MUR 279
$7.13€6.24
-16.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.62MUR 405
$7.88€6.89
9.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MUR 80.6
$1.38€1.21
24.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10MUR 98.6
$2.39€2.09
-12.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.01MUR 47.27
$3.01€2.63
-66.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.35€25.68
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.51MUR 212
$4.36€3.82
3.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.72MUR 128
$2.13€1.86
27.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.70MUR 737
$29.60€25.90
-46.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40MUR 65.7
$1.82€1.59
-23.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2KMUR 1.7M
$37.9K€33.1K
-7.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0KMUR 1.4M
$32.4K€28.3K
-10.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.88MUR 2,343
$189€165
-73.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.53MUR 871
$22.29€19.50
-16.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.73MUR 1,538
$37.16€32.51
-11.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.90MUR 1,780
$58.0€50.8
-34.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.66€18.08
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.11MUR 287
$10.87€9.51
-43.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$155MUR 7,283
$706€618
-78.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,916MUR 184.0K
$14.9K€13.0K
-73.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.98MUR 2,348
$89.4€78.3
-44.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MUR 2,042
$36.60€32.02
18.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.0MUR 3,946
$104€91.0
-19.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.3MUR 3,677
$119€104
-34.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$509MUR 23.9K
$1,579€1,381
-67.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357MUR 16.8K
$1,238€1,083
-71.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$934MUR 43.9K
$2,712€2,373
-65.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$720MUR 33.8K
$2,039€1,784
-64.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,527€6,585
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$5,239€4,584
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Benares
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,364€2,068
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
3.39
84.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Benares: July 11, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Benares and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Benares vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $320 per month, with Benares 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
Benares vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Benares and in Barcelona?
Benares and Barcelona differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($987 vs $2,320 including rent). Benares is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Benares compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $1,480 in Benares and $3,480 in Barcelona 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 Benares and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $509 in Benares versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Benares and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $155 in Benares versus $706 in Barcelona. 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 Benares – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $70.0 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 $987 in Benares versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Benares but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Benares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Benares and Barcelona?
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 Benares or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Benares 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.
Where should expats move: Benares or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Benares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.