🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $407 in Karak versus $2,367 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $583 in Karak versus $3,465 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $759 in Karak versus $4,563 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Karak costs roughly 83% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Karak is 70% below, Barcelona is 77% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$0.74PKR 205
$17.58€15.14
-95.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$7.00PKR 1,948
$68.4€58.9
-89.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.27PKR 1,467
$14.06€12.10
-62.52%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.68PKR 189
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00PKR 1,112
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.51PKR 141
$2.78€2.39
-81.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34PKR 93.3
$2.80€2.41
-87.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24PKR 66.9
$2.06€1.78
-88.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.46€3.84
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.61€3.97
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00PKR 277
$1.24€1.07
-19.35%
White Bread(500g)
$0.51PKR 141
$2.03€1.75
-74.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.04PKR 288
$1.92€1.65
-45.83%
Eggs
$1.09PKR 303
$3.31€2.85
-67.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$1.81PKR 503
$18.43€15.87
-90.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.82PKR 784
$9.49€8.17
-70.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.29PKR 1,194
$19.16€16.49
-77.61%
Apples(1kg)
$0.72PKR 201
$2.64€2.27
-72.73%
Banana(1kg)
$0.55PKR 153
$2.45€2.11
-77.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.72PKR 202
$2.12€1.83
-66.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.55PKR 154
$2.85€2.45
-80.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.38PKR 107
$2.04€1.75
-81.37%
Onion(1kg)
$0.57PKR 158
$1.85€1.59
-69.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.17PKR 46.89
$1.47€1.27
-88.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24PKR 66.6
$0.84€0.73
-71.43%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.34PKR 373
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91PKR 253
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98PKR 552
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.14PKR 595
$7.14€6.15
-70.03%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$7.88€6.79
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.38€1.19
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.31€1.99
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18PKR 49.76
$2.98€2.57
-93.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.23PKR 2,010
$29.26€25.19
-75.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.86PKR 240
$4.60€3.96
-81.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.44PKR 121
$2.07€1.78
-78.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.84PKR 791
$29.18€25.12
-90.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.97PKR 269
$1.84€1.58
-47.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6KPKR 6.0M
$39.0K€33.6K
-44.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4KPKR 7.4M
$32.7K€28.1K
-19.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$113PKR 31.6K
$188€162
-39.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.36PKR 1,491
$22.93€19.74
-76.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.48PKR 5,141
$36.71€31.61
-49.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$12.19PKR 3,391
$57.4€49.39
-78.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.05PKR 1,684
$20.70€17.82
-70.77%
Cinema Ticket
$4.22PKR 1,174
$11.19€9.64
-62.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$59.1PKR 16.5K
$721€621
-91.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,129PKR 314.1K
$15.0K€13.0K
-92.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.57PKR 6,001
$86.2€74.2
-74.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.73PKR 7,714
$37.07€31.92
-25.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.1PKR 25.1K
$102€87.8
-11.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.80PKR 11.4K
$116€99.8
-64.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$73.7PKR 20.5K
$1,534€1,320
-95.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$51.6PKR 14.3K
$1,220€1,051
-95.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$167PKR 46.5K
$2,696€2,321
-93.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$104PKR 29.1K
$2,013€1,733
-94.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,127PKR 313.5K
$7,220€6,216
-84.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$580PKR 161.3K
$5,189€4,467
-88.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,359€2,031
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
20.2
3.39
495.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.7 in Karak and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $7.00 in Karak vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $74.0 vs $318 per month, with Karak 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
Karak vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Karak and Barcelona?
Karak and Barcelona differ by about 482% in total monthly costs ($407 vs $2,367 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Karak compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $610 in Karak 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 Karak and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $73.7 in Karak 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 Karak and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $59.1 in Karak 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 grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 327% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $407 in Karak versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Karak but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Karak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Karak 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 Karak or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Karak 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: Karak or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Karak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 482% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.