Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $987 in Ibb versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Ibb versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Ibb versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 58% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibb is 26% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 YER 1,633

$17.58 €15.12

-61.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 YER 9,687

$68.4 €58.9

-40.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 YER 2,978

$14.06 €12.09

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$2.08 YER 495

$2.78 €2.39

-25.18%

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

$1.60 YER 382

$2.80 €2.41

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 119

$2.06 €1.78

-75.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 YER 778

$1.24 €1.07

162.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 YER 276

$2.03 €1.74

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 YER 1,131

$1.92 €1.65

146.88%

Eggs

$6.43 YER 1,531

$3.31 €2.85

94.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 YER 2,172

$18.43 €15.85

-50.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 YER 3,002

$9.49 €8.16

32.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.63 YER 6,585

$19.16 €16.48

44.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 YER 1,382

$2.64 €2.27

119.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 YER 517

$2.45 €2.11

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 YER 1,537

$2.12 €1.82

204.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 YER 876

$2.85 €2.45

28.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 YER 554

$2.04 €1.75

13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 YER 481

$1.85 €1.59

9.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 YER 186

$1.47 €1.26

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 334

$0.84 €0.73

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 YER 963

$7.14 €6.14

-43.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 YER 496

$4.60 €3.95

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.99 YER 952

$1.84 €1.58

116.85%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$90.8 YER 21.6K

$188 €162

-51.65%

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

$15.33 YER 3,652

$22.93 €19.73

-33.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 YER 18.5K

$36.71 €31.58

111.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 YER 19.2K

$57.4 €49.35

40.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

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

$28.67 YER 6,833

$721 €620

-96.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 YER 791.9K

$15.0K €12.9K

-77.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.35 YER 6,993

$86.2 €74.2

-65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.95 YER 11.7K

$102 €87.8

-52.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 YER 13.7K

$116 €99.7

-50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.5K

$1,534 €1,319

-85.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 YER 38.2K

$1,220 €1,050

-86.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 YER 136.1K

$2,696 €2,319

-78.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 YER 94.1K

$2,013 €1,732

-80.38%

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)

$352 YER 83.9K

$2,359 €2,029

-85.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 570% 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: $41.00 in Ibb vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $318, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ibb vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb and Barcelona differ by about 140% in total monthly costs ($987 vs $2,367 including rent). Ibb is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 570% 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: $216 in Ibb versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $28.67 in Ibb 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 Ibb – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $987 in Ibb versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb 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, Ibb 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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.