Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Madinat Hamad versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Madinat Hamad versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,603 in Madinat Hamad versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Madinat Hamad costs roughly 49% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madinat Hamad is 9% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.57 BHD 0.97

$17.15 €14.86

-85.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.18

$68.1 €58.9

-21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$13.64 €11.82

-45.01%

Cappuccino

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$2.78 €2.41

-3.60%

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

$0.85 BHD 0.32

$2.82 €2.44

-69.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$1.96 €1.70

-80.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 BHD 2.98

$4.43 €3.84

78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.57 BHD 3.98

$4.61 €3.99

129.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$1.27 €1.10

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$2.13 €1.85

-51.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$1.99 €1.72

21.11%

Eggs

$2.04 BHD 0.77

$3.37 €2.92

-39.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$18.96 €16.42

-54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 BHD 2.96

$9.53 €8.26

-17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 BHD 3.90

$18.73 €16.22

-44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 BHD 0.81

$2.65 €2.29

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$2.35 €2.04

-34.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$2.09 €1.81

-17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$2.73 €2.37

-55.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.96 €1.70

-52.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.81 €1.56

-42.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.51 €1.31

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 BHD 0.20

$0.89 €0.77

-41.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$6.78 €5.87

-4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 BHD 6.97

$7.92 €6.86

133.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 BHD 1.30

$1.37 €1.19

152.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$2.40 €2.08

36.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BHD 0.26

$2.91 €2.52

-76.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.98 BHD 13.18

$28.66 €24.82

22.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 BHD 1.78

$4.58 €3.96

3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$2.04 €1.77

63.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.68 BHD 10.06

$28.72 €24.87

-7.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 BHD 0.13

$1.82 €1.58

-80.77%

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

$37.1K BHD 14.0K

$39.3K €34.0K

-5.64%

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

$21.1K BHD 7,969

$32.5K €28.1K

-34.90%

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

$123 BHD 46.52

$187 €162

-33.87%

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

$23.61 BHD 8.90

$22.29 €19.30

5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.26 BHD 6.88

$36.37 €31.50

-49.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 BHD 44.42

$57.5 €49.82

104.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.3 BHD 20.10

$20.74 €17.96

157.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.33 BHD 2.01

$10.77 €9.33

-50.51%

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

$382 BHD 144

$725 €628

-47.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,807 BHD 3,319

$15.2K €13.1K

-41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 BHD 17.12

$87.9 €76.1

-48.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 BHD 23.80

$36.81 €31.88

71.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 BHD 31.80

$103 €89.6

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 BHD 33.99

$119 €103

-23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 BHD 147

$1,524 €1,319

-74.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 BHD 118

$1,227 €1,062

-74.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BHD 300

$2,727 €2,362

-70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 BHD 253

$1,984 €1,718

-66.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 BHD 247

$2,393 €2,072

-72.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

3.39

152.51%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Madinat Hamad and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 265% 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: $54.0 in Madinat Hamad vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $319 per month, with Madinat Hamad 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

Madinat Hamad vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat Hamad and Barcelona differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($1,206 vs $2,359 including rent). Madinat Hamad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 265% 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: $391 in Madinat Hamad versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $382 in Madinat Hamad 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 27% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,206 in Madinat Hamad versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madinat Hamad but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Madinat Hamad 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, Madinat Hamad 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 Madinat Hamad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.