Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,075 in Castro versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Castro versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,184 in Castro versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Castro costs roughly 54% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Castro is 20% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 CLP 8,162

$17.66 €15.45

-50.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 CLP 41.4K

$69.7 €61.0

-36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,480

$14.16 €12.39

-43.29%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,648

$2.80 €2.45

1.43%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,212

$2.81 €2.46

-53.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 989

$2.06 €1.81

-48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,945

$4.60 €4.02

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CLP 3,854

$4.69 €4.10

-11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,050

$1.23 €1.08

-8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 CLP 1,375

$2.03 €1.78

-27.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,281

$1.98 €1.73

-30.30%

Eggs

$4.44 CLP 4,131

$3.49 €3.05

27.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,469

$18.33 €16.04

-44.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 CLP 4,031

$9.83 €8.60

-55.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 CLP 8,275

$19.13 €16.73

-53.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 CLP 1,336

$2.73 €2.38

-47.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CLP 2,167

$2.38 €2.09

-2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$2.08 €1.82

-24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,953

$2.75 €2.41

-23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,145

$1.96 €1.72

-37.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,264

$1.79 €1.57

-24.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,129

$1.48 €1.29

-18.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$0.91 €0.80

34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,920

$7.13 €6.24

-25.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 CLP 7,371

$7.88 €6.89

0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,439

$1.38 €1.21

12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 2,054

$2.39 €2.09

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 700

$3.01 €2.63

-75.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 447

$4.36 €3.82

-88.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,269

$1.82 €1.59

-25.27%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$37.9K €33.1K

-48.27%

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

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

$32.4K €28.3K

-33.08%

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

$129 CLP 120.5K

$189 €165

-31.56%

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

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$22.29 €19.50

-39.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.73 CLP 20.2K

$37.16 €32.51

-41.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 CLP 36.5K

$58.0 €50.8

-32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 CLP 19.6K

$20.66 €18.08

2.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 CLP 5,116

$10.87 €9.51

-49.49%

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

$433 CLP 403.4K

$706 €618

-38.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

$89.4 €78.3

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.65 CLP 28.5K

$36.60 €32.02

-16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 CLP 57.5K

$104 €91.0

-40.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 CLP 77.1K

$119 €104

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 441.2K

$1,579 €1,381

-69.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.4K

$1,238 €1,083

-70.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 821.3K

$2,712 €2,373

-67.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 CLP 580.4K

$2,039 €1,784

-69.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 CLP 592.5K

$2,364 €2,068

-73.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

3.39

52.80%

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

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Castro and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 272% 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: $44.00 in Castro vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $320 per month, with Castro 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

Castro vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castro and Barcelona differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,075 vs $2,320 including rent). Castro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 272% 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: $474 in Castro versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $433 in Castro versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Castro – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,075 in Castro versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Castro but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Castro 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, Castro 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 Castro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.