Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Ha'il versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,456 in Ha'il versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Ha'il versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha'il is 24% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.31

$17.08 €14.72

-60.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 SAR 95.6

$69.2 €59.7

-63.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 SAR 27.11

$13.78 €11.87

-47.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cappuccino

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$2.76 €2.37

19.20%

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

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$2.79 €2.40

-63.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$1.99 €1.72

-83.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.29 €1.11

31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$2.05 €1.77

-58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.99 €1.71

-6.53%

Eggs

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$3.39 €2.92

-42.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 SAR 25.54

$18.81 €16.21

-63.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 SAR 31.84

$9.36 €8.07

-9.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.58

$19.12 €16.48

-56.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.70 €2.32

-42.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.34 €2.02

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$2.12 €1.83

-38.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.32

$2.85 €2.46

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.97 €1.70

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.80 €1.55

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.45 €1.25

-26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.86 €0.74

-43.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.05 SAR 26.45

$6.78 €5.84

3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$2.92 €2.52

-62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.68 SAR 153

$28.69 €24.72

41.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$4.46 €3.84

-40.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$2.05 €1.77

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$29.55 €25.46

-54.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$1.82 €1.56

-68.13%

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

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

$38.8K €33.5K

-30.02%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$33.1K €28.5K

-33.35%

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

$53.4 SAR 200

$189 €163

-71.78%

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

$21.53 SAR 80.8

$22.80 €19.65

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.44 SAR 174

$37.59 €32.39

23.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 SAR 251

$57.7 €49.75

15.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 SAR 136

$20.74 €17.87

74.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 SAR 55.7

$10.82 €9.33

37.25%

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

$356 SAR 1,336

$728 €628

-51.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,030 SAR 26.4K

$14.8K €12.7K

-52.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$88.6 €76.4

-32.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$36.85 €31.75

65.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 SAR 298

$102 €87.9

-22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 SAR 305

$116 €100

-30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 SAR 1,840

$1,569 €1,352

-68.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 SAR 1,223

$1,218 €1,050

-73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,652

$2,795 €2,409

-84.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 SAR 1,360

$1,975 €1,702

-81.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,004

$7,754 €6,680

-69.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,311 SAR 4,921

$5,176 €4,460

-74.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$2,343 €2,019

-54.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.39

30.38%

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

Last update for Ha'il: June 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Ha'il and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 120% 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: $25.00 in Ha'il vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $319 per month, with Ha'il 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

Ha'il vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha'il and Barcelona differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($1,024 vs $2,337 including rent). Ha'il is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 120% 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: $490 in Ha'il versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $356 in Ha'il versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,024 in Ha'il versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha'il but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ha'il 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, Ha'il 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 Ha'il gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.