🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $428 in Karak versus $2,495 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $625 in Karak versus $3,550 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $822 in Karak versus $4,605 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 69% below, Barcelona is 82% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$0.75PKR 207
$18.39€15.83
-95.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$7.31PKR 2,027
$69.2€59.5
-89.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.51PKR 1,527
$14.13€12.16
-61.00%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.75PKR 207
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.78PKR 1,879
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.56PKR 155
$3.13€2.70
-82.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36PKR 98.9
$3.02€2.59
-88.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22PKR 60.7
$1.96€1.69
-88.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.00€3.44
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.76€4.10
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.94PKR 261
$1.25€1.07
-24.80%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57PKR 157
$2.16€1.86
-73.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.09PKR 302
$1.69€1.45
-35.50%
Eggs
$1.11PKR 308
$4.93€4.24
-77.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$1.77PKR 490
$17.88€15.39
-90.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.87PKR 795
$9.61€8.27
-70.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.35PKR 1,205
$19.34€16.64
-77.51%
Apples(1kg)
$0.69PKR 191
$3.24€2.78
-78.70%
Banana(1kg)
$0.52PKR 144
$2.18€1.87
-76.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.73PKR 203
$2.67€2.30
-72.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.48PKR 134
$2.77€2.39
-82.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.29PKR 81.1
$2.21€1.90
-86.88%
Onion(1kg)
$0.32PKR 89.6
$2.19€1.88
-85.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.16PKR 43.33
$1.52€1.31
-89.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26PKR 72.7
$0.92€0.79
-71.74%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.85PKR 512
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33PKR 368
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44PKR 676
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30PKR 638
$7.12€6.13
-67.70%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$8.14€7.00
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.50€1.29
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.78€2.39
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16PKR 45.06
$3.15€2.71
-94.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.59PKR 2,383
$26.99€23.23
-68.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28PKR 355
$3.25€2.80
-60.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.73PKR 203
$1.50€1.29
-51.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.58PKR 437
$34.89€30.03
-95.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25PKR 347
$1.75€1.50
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9KPKR 6.1M
$36.7K€31.5K
-40.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5KPKR 7.1M
$30.9K€26.6K
-17.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103PKR 28.5K
$188€161
-45.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.81PKR 1,611
$15.44€13.29
-62.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.19PKR 4,489
$37.80€32.52
-57.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.60PKR 4,601
$57.2€49.21
-70.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80€14.45
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.78PKR 1,326
$11.58€9.96
-58.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$75.3PKR 20.9K
$1,003€863
-92.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$996PKR 276.1K
$17.0K€14.6K
-94.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.90PKR 6,626
$89.2€76.8
-73.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.81PKR 8,819
$40.87€35.17
-22.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.8PKR 22.7K
$110€94.6
-25.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.51PKR 11.0K
$123€106
-67.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$130PKR 35.9K
$1,673€1,440
-92.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$84.3PKR 23.4K
$1,331€1,146
-93.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$285PKR 79.0K
$2,596€2,234
-89.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$155PKR 43.0K
$1,950€1,678
-92.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$804PKR 222.9K
$7,573€6,517
-89.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$585PKR 162.2K
$5,370€4,621
-89.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karak
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,402€2,067
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.08
3.16
313.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Karak: August 30, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Karak and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $7.00 in Karak vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $74.0 vs $332 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 in Barcelona?
Karak and Barcelona differ by about 483% in total monthly costs ($428 vs $2,495 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 $642 in Karak and $3,743 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 in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Karak versus $1,673 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 $75.3 in Karak versus $1,003 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 349% 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 $428 in Karak versus $2,495 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 483% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.