Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Khon Kaen, Thailand
Barcelona, Spain
Khon Kaen
🇹🇭 Thailand
$608
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Khon Kaen and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Khon Kaen and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $608 in Khon Kaen versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Khon Kaen $608
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Khon Kaen versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Khon Kaen $1,024
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,440 in Khon Kaen versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Khon Kaen $1,440
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Khon Kaen costs roughly 75% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Khon Kaen is 55% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 ฿103
$17.59 €15.76
-82.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.92 ฿1,010
$67.5 €60.5
-55.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.93 ฿200
$13.53 €12.12
-56.17%
Cappuccino
$1.46 ฿49.36
$3.19 €2.86
-54.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ฿19.82
$2.91 €2.61
-79.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ฿9.82
$1.89 €1.70
-84.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 ฿58.0
$4.01 €3.59
-57.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.73 ฿227
$4.53 €4.06
48.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.31 €1.17
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.02 €1.81
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.86 ฿29.14
$1.85 €1.66
-53.51%
Eggs
$2.47 ฿83.5
$4.83 €4.33
-48.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.74 €15.00
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.12 €8.17
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.64 €17.60
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.98 €2.67
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$2.02 €1.81
-56.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.70 €2.42
-44.44%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.80 €2.51
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$2.09 €1.87
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.07 €1.85
-27.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ฿20.84
$1.46 €1.31
-57.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.70
$0.94 €0.84
-44.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.87 €6.16
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.89 €7.07
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ฿55.5
$1.41 €1.26
17.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.54 €2.27
-
🚌 Getting Around
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$3.14 €2.82
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.45 €22.80
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.99 €2.68
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 ฿40.57
$1.49 €1.34
-19.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$33.37 €29.91
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ฿44.67
$1.80 €1.61
-26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.6K ฿1.5M
$33.2K €29.7K
34.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿895.7K
$31.7K €28.4K
-16.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.7 ฿3,195
$180 €162
-47.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.99 ฿607
$13.84 €12.40
29.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.73 ฿1,003
$33.70 €30.20
-11.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.5 ฿2,008
$51.5 €46.16
15.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.96 €14.30
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.85 ฿197
$10.99 €9.85
-46.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$917 €821
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,970 ฿302.7K
$16.5K €14.8K
-45.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.04 ฿1,014
$87.0 €78.0
-65.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.83 ฿1,176
$38.51 €34.51
-9.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.8 ฿2,489
$106 €94.8
-30.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.5 ฿3,055
$120 €107
-24.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 ฿9,445
$1,699 €1,523
-83.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ฿5,264
$1,355 €1,214
-88.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$730 ฿24.6K
$2,603 €2,332
-71.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$480 ฿16.2K
$2,062 €1,848
-76.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,915 €6,196
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,128 €4,595
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Khon Kaen
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,211 €1,981
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.28
-

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$322
Eating Out
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$268
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$228
Clothing & Footwear
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$158
Sport & Entertainment
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$74
Getting Around
Khon Kaen
–
Barcelona
$48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Khon Kaen and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30 in Khon Kaen vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $45 vs $322 per month, with Khon Kaen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Khon Kaen
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
20:55 8:55 PM
14:55 2:55 PM
6 h behind Khon Kaen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
114,459
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Khon Kaen Barcelona 9,660 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Khon Kaen
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Khon Kaen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Khon Kaen and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $608 in Khon Kaen and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Khon Kaen is about 75% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Khon Kaen compared to Barcelona?
You’d need roughly $913 in Khon Kaen and $3,679 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 Khon Kaen and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Khon Kaen versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Khon Kaen – a meal for two runs $30 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Khon Kaen or Barcelona?
All in, you’ll spend $608 per month in Khon Kaen versus $2,453 in Barcelona – Khon Kaen is about 75% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $608 in Khon Kaen versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khon Kaen but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Khon Kaen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Khon Kaen and Barcelona are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Khon Kaen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?