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: $1,041 in Ha'il versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Ha'il versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Ha'il versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha'il is 22% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.68

$17.15 €14.86

-61.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 SAR 96.8

$68.1 €58.9

-62.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 SAR 26.76

$13.64 €11.82

-47.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

Cappuccino

$3.27 SAR 12.26

$2.78 €2.41

17.63%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$2.82 €2.44

-64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$1.96 €1.70

-83.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.27 €1.10

37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$2.13 €1.85

-61.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

$1.99 €1.72

-4.02%

Eggs

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$3.37 €2.92

-42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 SAR 24.89

$18.96 €16.42

-65.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 SAR 33.48

$9.53 €8.26

-6.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.86

$18.73 €16.22

-54.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.65 €2.29

-41.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.69

$2.35 €2.04

-35.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$2.09 €1.81

-39.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$2.73 €2.37

-26.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.96 €1.70

-31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.81 €1.56

-13.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.51 €1.31

-29.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.85

$0.89 €0.77

-44.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.34

$6.78 €5.87

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$2.91 €2.52

-62.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.94 SAR 150

$28.66 €24.82

39.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$4.58 €3.96

-41.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.04 €1.77

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 SAR 49.14

$28.72 €24.87

-54.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.82 €1.58

-67.58%

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

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

$39.3K €34.0K

-30.90%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$32.5K €28.1K

-30.05%

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

$54.0 SAR 203

$187 €162

-71.07%

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

$21.59 SAR 81.1

$22.29 €19.30

-3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.03 SAR 173

$36.37 €31.50

26.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 SAR 249

$57.5 €49.82

15.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.21 SAR 136

$20.74 €17.96

74.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 SAR 55.2

$10.77 €9.33

36.49%

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

$352 SAR 1,320

$725 €628

-51.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,085 SAR 26.6K

$15.2K €13.1K

-53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$87.9 €76.1

-32.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$36.81 €31.88

64.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 SAR 292

$103 €89.6

-24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 SAR 303

$119 €103

-32.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,871

$1,524 €1,319

-67.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 SAR 1,241

$1,227 €1,062

-73.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,651

$2,727 €2,362

-83.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$1,984 €1,718

-81.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 SAR 8,885

$7,469 €6,468

-68.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 SAR 5,001

$5,243 €4,541

-74.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 SAR 3,994

$2,393 €2,072

-55.54%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Ha'il and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 125% 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: $26.00 in Ha'il vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 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 127% in total monthly costs ($1,041 vs $2,359 including rent). Ha'il is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% 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: $498 in Ha'il versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $352 in Ha'il versus $725 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,041 in Ha'il versus $2,359 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 127% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.