Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Mecca versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 61% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 29% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$18.39 €15.87

-74.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$69.2 €59.7

-61.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$14.13 €12.19

-52.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$3.13 €2.70

-16.29%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$3.02 €2.60

-77.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$1.96 €1.69

-88.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.25 €1.08

43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$2.16 €1.87

-56.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.69 €1.45

29.59%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$4.93 €4.26

-51.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$17.88 €15.43

-65.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$9.61 €8.29

-14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$19.34 €16.69

-34.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$3.24 €2.79

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$2.18 €1.88

-23.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.67 €2.30

-44.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$2.77 €2.39

-39.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$2.21 €1.91

-47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$2.19 €1.89

-37.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.52 €1.31

-32.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.92 €0.80

-45.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$7.12 €6.14

-6.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.40

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$3.15 €2.72

-57.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$3.25 €2.80

-44.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.50 €1.30

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$34.89 €30.11

-61.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.75 €1.51

-65.71%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$36.7K €31.6K

28.11%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$30.9K €26.7K

-30.92%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$188 €162

-59.55%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$15.44 €13.32

127.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$37.80 €32.61

78.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$57.2 €49.34

37.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$16.80 €14.49

104.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$11.58 €9.99

4.32%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$1,003 €865

-61.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$17.0K €14.7K

-73.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$89.2 €77.0

-74.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$40.87 €35.27

43.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$110 €94.9

-55.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$123 €106

-58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$1,673 €1,444

-65.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$1,331 €1,149

-76.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$2,596 €2,240

-41.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,950 €1,683

-74.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$7,573 €6,535

-15.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$5,370 €4,634

-57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$2,402 €2,073

-54.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

3.16

66.14%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 122% 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: $27.00 in Mecca vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $332 per month, with Mecca 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

Mecca vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca and Barcelona differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $2,495 including rent). Mecca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 122% 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: $576 in Mecca versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $391 in Mecca versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mecca – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $974 in Mecca versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca 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, Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.