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: $1,078 in Castro versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,662 in Castro versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,246 in Castro versus $4,563 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 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 CLP 7,487

$17.58 €15.12

-51.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.13 CLP 40.1K

$68.4 €58.9

-34.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 CLP 7,293

$14.06 €12.09

-41.54%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,485

$2.78 €2.39

0.72%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,211

$2.80 €2.41

-51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 938

$2.06 €1.78

-48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,942

$4.46 €3.84

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,719

$4.61 €3.96

-9.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 971

$1.24 €1.07

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,343

$2.03 €1.74

-25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,227

$1.92 €1.65

-28.13%

Eggs

$4.32 CLP 3,832

$3.31 €2.85

30.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 CLP 8,918

$18.43 €15.85

-45.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 CLP 3,846

$9.49 €8.16

-54.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 CLP 7,791

$19.16 €16.48

-54.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,316

$2.64 €2.27

-43.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 CLP 2,157

$2.45 €2.11

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,408

$2.12 €1.82

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$2.85 €2.45

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,064

$2.04 €1.75

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,258

$1.85 €1.59

-23.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,133

$1.47 €1.26

-12.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,094

$0.84 €0.73

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 CLP 4,764

$7.14 €6.14

-24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 CLP 7,497

$7.88 €6.78

7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.38 €1.19

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 1,979

$2.31 €1.99

-3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 CLP 676

$2.98 €2.56

-74.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 422

$4.60 €3.95

-89.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,221

$1.84 €1.58

-25.00%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.1M

$39.0K €33.6K

-50.55%

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

$21.0K CLP 18.7M

$32.7K €28.1K

-35.70%

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

$131 CLP 116.4K

$188 €162

-30.19%

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

$13.36 CLP 11.9K

$22.93 €19.73

-41.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.24 CLP 19.7K

$36.71 €31.58

-39.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.17 CLP 33.9K

$57.4 €49.35

-33.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.55 CLP 19.1K

$20.70 €17.80

4.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 CLP 5,121

$11.19 €9.63

-48.44%

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

$443 CLP 392.9K

$721 €620

-38.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 CLP 45.8K

$86.2 €74.2

-40.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 CLP 26.8K

$37.07 €31.89

-18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 CLP 55.4K

$102 €87.8

-38.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 CLP 73.0K

$116 €99.7

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 420.8K

$1,534 €1,319

-69.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 324.7K

$1,220 €1,050

-70.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 CLP 785.2K

$2,696 €2,319

-67.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 CLP 559.0K

$2,013 €1,732

-68.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$685 CLP 607.9K

$2,359 €2,029

-70.97%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Castro and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 244% 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: $45.00 in Castro vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $318 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 120% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $2,367 including rent). Castro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 244% 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: $474 in Castro versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $443 in Castro versus $721 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 $45.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,078 in Castro versus $2,367 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 120% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.