Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,044 in Nis versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,519 in Nis versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,994 in Nis versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Nis costs roughly 58% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nis is 24% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 RSD 776

$18.39 €15.81

-58.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.00 RSD 3,531

$69.2 €59.5

-49.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 RSD 996

$14.13 €12.15

-30.15%

Cappuccino

$2.00 RSD 202

$3.13 €2.69

-36.10%

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

$2.35 RSD 237

$3.02 €2.59

-22.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RSD 191

$1.96 €1.69

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 RSD 379

$4.00 €3.44

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RSD 455

$4.76 €4.09

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 RSD 121

$1.25 €1.07

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 RSD 72.6

$2.16 €1.86

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RSD 176

$1.69 €1.45

3.55%

Eggs

$2.42 RSD 244

$4.93 €4.24

-50.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 RSD 807

$17.88 €15.37

-55.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 RSD 603

$9.61 €8.26

-37.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 RSD 1,107

$19.34 €16.63

-43.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 RSD 112

$3.24 €2.78

-65.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 178

$2.18 €1.87

-19.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RSD 152

$2.67 €2.30

-43.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 RSD 211

$2.77 €2.38

-24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RSD 79.6

$2.21 €1.90

-64.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 80.5

$2.19 €1.88

-63.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 RSD 65.6

$1.52 €1.31

-57.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 RSD 63.3

$0.92 €0.79

-31.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 RSD 471

$7.12 €6.12

-34.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 RSD 562

$8.14 €6.99

-31.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.9

$1.50 €1.29

-52.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RSD 130

$2.78 €2.39

-53.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 RSD 193

$3.25 €2.79

-41.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RSD 65.6

$1.50 €1.29

-56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 RSD 847

$34.89 €30.00

-75.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RSD 185

$1.75 €1.50

5.14%

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

$31.5K RSD 3.2M

$36.7K €31.5K

-14.02%

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

$25.0K RSD 2.5M

$30.9K €26.6K

-19.08%

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

$164 RSD 16.6K

$188 €161

-12.41%

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

$20.57 RSD 2,075

$15.44 €13.27

33.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 RSD 2,359

$37.80 €32.49

-38.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.95 RSD 3,123

$57.2 €49.16

-45.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 RSD 1,652

$16.80 €14.44

-2.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 RSD 513

$11.58 €9.95

-56.13%

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

$257 RSD 25.9K

$1,003 €862

-74.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,099 RSD 514.5K

$17.0K €14.6K

-70.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 RSD 9,082

$89.2 €76.7

0.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 RSD 4,025

$40.87 €35.14

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 RSD 10.5K

$110 €94.5

-5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 RSD 11.6K

$123 €105

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RSD 39.8K

$1,673 €1,438

-76.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RSD 28.8K

$1,331 €1,145

-78.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 RSD 62.6K

$2,596 €2,232

-76.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RSD 43.5K

$1,950 €1,676

-77.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 RSD 261.5K

$7,573 €6,511

-65.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,926 RSD 194.3K

$5,370 €4,617

-64.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$952 RSD 96.0K

$2,402 €2,065

-60.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

3.16

61.71%

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

Last update for Nis: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Nis and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 152% 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: $35.00 in Nis vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $332 per month, with Nis 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

Nis vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nis and Barcelona differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($1,044 vs $2,495 including rent). Nis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 152% 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: $395 in Nis versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $257 in Nis 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 Nis – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,044 in Nis versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nis but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Nis 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, Nis 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 Nis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.