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: $1,023 in Nis versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Nis versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Nis versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Nis costs roughly 57% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nis is 24% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.23 RSD 729

$17.58 €15.14

-58.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.67 RSD 2,991

$68.4 €58.9

-56.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 RSD 1,007

$14.06 €12.10

-28.95%

Cappuccino

$1.99 RSD 201

$2.78 €2.39

-28.42%

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

$1.82 RSD 184

$2.80 €2.41

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 RSD 123

$2.06 €1.78

-40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 RSD 256

$4.46 €3.84

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 RSD 293

$4.61 €3.97

-36.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RSD 134

$1.24 €1.07

7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 RSD 75.0

$2.03 €1.75

-63.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RSD 182

$1.92 €1.65

-5.73%

Eggs

$2.44 RSD 246

$3.31 €2.85

-26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 RSD 784

$18.43 €15.87

-57.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 RSD 670

$9.49 €8.17

-29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 RSD 1,179

$19.16 €16.49

-38.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RSD 119

$2.64 €2.27

-54.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RSD 174

$2.45 €2.11

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 RSD 147

$2.12 €1.83

-31.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 180

$2.85 €2.45

-37.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RSD 103

$2.04 €1.75

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 RSD 114

$1.85 €1.59

-38.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 RSD 55.1

$1.47 €1.27

-62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 RSD 57.1

$0.84 €0.73

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 RSD 427

$7.14 €6.15

-40.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 RSD 636

$7.88 €6.79

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RSD 73.7

$1.38 €1.19

-47.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RSD 206

$2.31 €1.99

-11.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RSD 80.7

$2.98 €2.57

-73.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.95 RSD 2,616

$29.26 €25.19

-11.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 146

$4.60 €3.96

-68.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 RSD 45.78

$2.07 €1.78

-78.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 RSD 687

$29.18 €25.12

-76.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RSD 176

$1.84 €1.58

-4.89%

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

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

$39.0K €33.6K

-22.56%

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

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

$32.7K €28.1K

-16.14%

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

$141 RSD 14.2K

$188 €162

-24.94%

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

$16.68 RSD 1,681

$22.93 €19.74

-27.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 RSD 2,289

$36.71 €31.61

-38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.35 RSD 2,958

$57.4 €49.39

-48.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 RSD 1,892

$20.70 €17.82

-9.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 RSD 484

$11.19 €9.64

-57.10%

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

$239 RSD 24.1K

$721 €621

-66.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,050 RSD 509.0K

$15.0K €13.0K

-66.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.2 RSD 9,090

$86.2 €74.2

4.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.77 RSD 4,714

$37.07 €31.92

26.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 RSD 9,435

$102 €87.8

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 RSD 10.5K

$116 €99.8

-10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 RSD 40.4K

$1,534 €1,320

-73.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RSD 28.8K

$1,220 €1,051

-76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RSD 57.2K

$2,696 €2,321

-78.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RSD 41.6K

$2,013 €1,733

-79.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,613 RSD 263.3K

$7,220 €6,216

-63.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,894 RSD 190.9K

$5,189 €4,467

-63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 RSD 91.4K

$2,359 €2,031

-61.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

3.39

119.76%

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

Last update for Nis: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Nis and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 160% 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: $30.00 in Nis vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $318 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 131% in total monthly costs ($1,023 vs $2,367 including rent). Nis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 160% less. 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: $401 in Nis versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Nis versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,023 in Nis versus $2,367 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 131% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.