Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,499 in Matera versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,409 in Matera versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,318 in Matera versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Matera costs roughly 39% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Matera 10% above, Barcelona 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 €13.65

$18.74 €16.33

-16.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$69.5 €60.6

-9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.01

$13.77 €12.00

-16.63%

Cappuccino

$1.87 €1.63

$3.10 €2.70

-39.68%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$2.83 €2.47

-20.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.88 €1.64

-39.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €5.10

$3.98 €3.47

46.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.10

$4.53 €3.95

-21.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.27 €1.11

23.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.16 €1.88

-18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.76 €1.53

84.66%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.32

$5.13 €4.47

-25.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 €14.09

$17.88 €15.59

-9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.22

$9.65 €8.41

33.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.46 €18.70

$20.15 €17.56

6.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$3.25 €2.84

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.23 €1.94

-7.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.60 €2.27

-54.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.76 €2.40

39.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$2.21 €1.93

-18.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.12 €1.85

-19.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.55 €1.35

-9.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$0.95 €0.83

-49.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$7.34 €6.40

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 €5.64

$8.05 €7.01

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.54 €1.35

24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.79 €2.43

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.47

$3.11 €2.71

-45.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 €18.10

$25.86 €22.54

-19.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.05

$3.27 €2.85

42.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.48 €1.29

-11.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 €21.02

$34.27 €29.88

-29.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.73 €1.51

20.23%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$36.4K €31.7K

5.06%

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

$36.2K €31.6K

$30.5K €26.6K

18.63%

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

$211 €184

$187 €163

12.53%

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

$9.63 €8.40

$15.14 €13.20

-36.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 €28.27

$37.69 €32.85

-13.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.5

$55.9 €48.76

3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.93

$17.08 €14.89

47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €10.04

$11.41 €9.95

0.96%

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

$468 €408

$997 €869

-53.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,263 €7,203

$16.5K €14.4K

-50.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €60.9

$92.6 €80.8

-24.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.69

$41.22 €35.93

7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$111 €96.9

-0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$125 €109

3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 €645

$1,707 €1,488

-56.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 €379

$1,286 €1,121

-66.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 €931

$2,565 €2,236

-58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$1,942 €1,693

-55.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 €2,444

$7,647 €6,666

-63.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,247 €2,830

$5,167 €4,504

-37.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 €1,556

$2,348 €2,047

-23.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.16

-2.22%

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

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $740 in Matera and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 32% 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: $63.0 in Matera vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $336, 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

Matera vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matera and Barcelona differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,499 vs $2,476 including rent). Matera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $740 in Matera versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $468 in Matera versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,499 in Matera versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matera but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Matera 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, Matera 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 Matera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.