Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,476 in Cartago versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,142 in Cartago versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Cartago versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Cartago costs roughly 37% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 10% above, Barcelona 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 ₡3,605

$17.61 €15.08

-54.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.36 ₡14.3K

$68.7 €58.8

-54.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ₡4,145

$13.75 €11.77

-33.75%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,794

$2.76 €2.36

43.12%

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

$2.03 ₡922

$2.78 €2.38

-26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₡558

$2.05 €1.75

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₡922

$4.61 €3.94

-55.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,160

$4.59 €3.93

3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡897

$1.28 €1.10

53.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₡1,016

$2.11 €1.81

5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,025

$1.97 €1.69

14.21%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,354

$3.44 €2.95

-13.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,531

$18.83 €16.12

-58.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 ₡4,115

$9.45 €8.09

-4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,118

$19.01 €16.27

-29.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,065

$2.72 €2.33

66.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 ₡527

$2.37 €2.03

-51.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ₡1,791

$2.08 €1.78

89.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 ₡1,254

$2.76 €2.36

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₡893

$1.97 €1.69

-0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ₡926

$1.79 €1.53

13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡442

$1.51 €1.29

-35.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₡885

$0.90 €0.77

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,445

$6.76 €5.79

-20.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 ₡6,964

$7.55 €6.46

102.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,140

$1.44 €1.23

74.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡830

$2.41 €2.06

-24.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡468

$3.03 €2.59

-66.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 ₡31.5K

$28.39 €24.30

144.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₡639

$4.43 €3.79

-68.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡841

$2.05 €1.76

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,581

$29.33 €25.11

-73.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡660

$1.89 €1.62

-23.28%

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

$37.8K ₡17.2M

$38.7K €33.2K

-2.50%

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

$33.0K ₡15.0M

$32.4K €27.7K

2.04%

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

$47.45 ₡21.6K

$189 €161

-74.84%

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

$25.90 ₡11.8K

$22.21 €19.01

16.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 ₡26.0K

$36.82 €31.52

55.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₡25.5K

$58.0 €49.64

-3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.30 ₡11.0K

$20.99 €17.97

15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 ₡2,892

$11.05 €9.46

-42.44%

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

$507 ₡230.5K

$726 €622

-30.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,204 ₡3.3M

$15.2K €13.0K

-52.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₡28.3K

$88.3 €75.6

-29.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 ₡23.7K

$36.98 €31.66

41.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 ₡50.6K

$103 €87.8

8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ₡36.4K

$119 €102

-32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₡348.7K

$1,526 €1,307

-49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 ₡266.4K

$1,218 €1,043

-51.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₡336.3K

$2,794 €2,392

-73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡352.0K

$2,027 €1,735

-61.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,331 ₡605.4K

$2,404 €2,058

-44.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

194.99%

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

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $767 in Cartago and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 81% 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: $31.00 in Cartago vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $320 per month, with Cartago 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

Cartago vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago and Barcelona differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,476 vs $2,341 including rent). Cartago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 81% less. 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: $767 in Cartago versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $507 in Cartago versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,476 in Cartago versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago 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, Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.