🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $451 in El Gouna versus $2,367 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $710 in El Gouna versus $3,465 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in El Gouna versus $4,563 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in El Gouna costs roughly 81% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: El Gouna is 66% below, Barcelona is 77% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62E£188
$17.58€15.14
-79.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.98E£829
$68.4€58.9
-76.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.65E£241
$14.06€12.10
-66.93%
Cappuccino
$1.49E£77.3
$2.78€2.39
-46.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31E£16.29
$2.80€2.41
-88.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.10E£4.97
$2.06€1.78
-95.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.22E£63.2
$4.46€3.84
-72.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87E£149
$4.61€3.97
-37.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86E£44.84
$1.24€1.07
-30.65%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62E£32.10
$2.03€1.75
-69.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.67E£34.67
$1.92€1.65
-65.10%
Eggs
$1.38E£71.7
$3.31€2.85
-58.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.44E£179
$18.43€15.87
-81.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.26E£221
$9.49€8.17
-55.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.77E£455
$19.16€16.50
-54.23%
Apples(1kg)
$1.48E£77.0
$2.64€2.27
-43.94%
Banana(1kg)
$0.53E£27.66
$2.45€2.11
-78.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.42E£21.97
$2.12€1.83
-80.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.39E£20.40
$2.85€2.45
-86.32%
Potato(1kg)
$0.38E£19.56
$2.04€1.75
-81.37%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43E£22.34
$1.85€1.59
-76.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.22E£11.39
$1.47€1.27
-85.03%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.18E£9.40
$0.84€0.73
-78.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98E£103
$7.14€6.15
-72.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.45E£335
$7.88€6.79
-18.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25E£64.7
$1.38€1.19
-9.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85E£96.0
$2.31€1.99
-19.91%
🚌 Getting Around
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.19E£9.67
$2.98€2.57
-93.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.26€25.20
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38E£19.82
$4.60€3.96
-91.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£16.35
$2.07€1.78
-85.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.03E£105
$29.18€25.13
-93.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.33E£17.19
$1.84€1.58
-82.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6KE£1.8M
$39.0K€33.6K
-8.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2KE£1.7M
$32.7K€28.2K
1.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.03E£624
$188€162
-93.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.07E£367
$22.93€19.75
-69.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.40E£592
$36.71€31.61
-68.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.03E£1,092
$57.4€49.41
-63.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.70€17.82
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.97E£154
$11.19€9.64
-73.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$88.7E£4,602
$721€621
-87.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,821E£94.5K
$15.0K€13.0K
-87.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.94E£1,450
$86.2€74.2
-67.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.19E£2,294
$37.07€31.92
19.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109E£5,678
$102€87.9
7.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.2E£2,659
$116€99.8
-55.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$188E£9,760
$1,534€1,321
-87.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$98.7E£5,124
$1,220€1,051
-91.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$278E£14.4K
$2,696€2,321
-89.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$156E£8,074
$2,013€1,734
-92.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$766E£39.8K
$7,220€6,217
-89.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$492E£25.5K
$5,189€4,468
-90.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Gouna
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,359€2,032
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.67
3.39
391.74%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for El Gouna: May 30, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $188 in El Gouna and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $16.00 in El Gouna vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $318 per month, with El Gouna 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
El Gouna vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in El Gouna and Barcelona?
El Gouna and Barcelona differ by about 425% in total monthly costs ($451 vs $2,367 including rent). El Gouna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in El Gouna compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $676 in El Gouna and $3,550 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 El Gouna and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $188 in El Gouna versus $1,534 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 El Gouna and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $88.7 in El Gouna versus $721 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 El Gouna – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $451 in El Gouna versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Gouna but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes El Gouna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between El Gouna 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 El Gouna or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, El Gouna 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: El Gouna or Barcelona?
Expats usually find El Gouna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 425% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.