Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Plzen and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Plzen: $1,758 a month against $2,399 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Plzen
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
$1,758
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,399
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Plzen and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Plzen and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Plzen versus $2,399 in Barcelona.

  • Plzen $1,758
  • Barcelona $2,399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,442 in Plzen versus $3,410 in Barcelona.

  • Plzen $2,442
  • Barcelona $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,126 in Plzen versus $4,421 in Barcelona.

  • Plzen $3,126
  • Barcelona $4,421

Living in Plzen costs roughly 27% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Plzen 30% above, Barcelona 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.55 Kč 250
$17.94 €15.96
-35.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.1 Kč 1,084
$68.1 €60.5
-26.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.94 Kč 193
$13.28 €11.81
-32.68%
Cappuccino
$3.03 Kč 65.5
$3.25 €2.89
-6.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 Kč 42.93
$3.01 €2.67
-33.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Kč 38.52
$1.87 €1.66
-4.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.71 Kč 58.7
$3.85 €3.42
-29.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 Kč 60.5
$4.48 €3.98
-37.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Kč 24.43
$1.29 €1.15
-12.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 Kč 34.43
$2.04 €1.81
-22.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.98 Kč 64.3
$1.72 €1.53
73.26%
Eggs
$3.84 Kč 83.0
$4.77 €4.24
-19.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.58 Kč 294
$16.77 €14.92
-19.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.06 Kč 218
$8.93 €7.94
12.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.19 Kč 350
$19.88 €17.68
-18.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 Kč 47.23
$2.98 €2.65
-26.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 Kč 40.22
$2.03 €1.80
-8.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 Kč 47.39
$2.73 €2.43
-19.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.54 Kč 76.7
$2.68 €2.38
32.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 Kč 26.13
$2.10 €1.87
-42.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 Kč 26.15
$2.08 €1.85
-41.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.63 Kč 35.32
$1.45 €1.29
12.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 Kč 16.54
$0.89 €0.79
-14.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.90 Kč 149
$6.94 €6.17
-0.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.70 Kč 145
$7.78 €6.92
-13.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 Kč 30.31
$1.45 €1.29
-3.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 Kč 37.31
$2.57 €2.29
-32.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.29 Kč 27.91
$2.99 €2.66
-56.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.05 Kč 585
$25.20 €22.41
7.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 Kč 45.54
$3.12 €2.77
-32.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 Kč 29.94
$1.44 €1.28
-4.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.80 Kč 298
$33.50 €29.80
-58.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 Kč 40.39
$1.79 €1.59
4.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K Kč 652.8K
$34.6K €30.8K
-12.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K Kč 635.7K
$30.1K €26.7K
-2.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$276 Kč 5,973
$178 €158
55.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.19 Kč 372
$13.32 €11.85
29.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.98 Kč 346
$34.88 €31.03
-54.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.5 Kč 1,286
$53.3 €47.37
11.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.43 Kč 312
$16.01 €14.24
-9.87%
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 Kč 244
$11.06 €9.84
2.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$331 Kč 7,165
$957 €851
-65.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K Kč 236.1K
$16.6K €14.7K
-34.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.9 Kč 1,706
$88.2 €78.4
-10.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.82 Kč 926
$39.49 €35.12
8.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Kč 1,863
$103 €91.5
-16.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 Kč 2,371
$121 €108
-9.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$720 Kč 15.6K
$1,653 €1,470
-56.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$704 Kč 15.2K
$1,302 €1,158
-45.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$928 Kč 20.1K
$2,557 €2,275
-63.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$908 Kč 19.6K
$1,915 €1,703
-52.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,061 Kč 109.5K
$7,286 €6,481
-30.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,070 Kč 88.0K
$5,080 €4,519
-19.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Plzen
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,905 Kč 41.2K
$2,281 €2,029
-16.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
3.28
46.34%

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

Last update for Plzen: October 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Plzen
$704
Barcelona
$1.3K 84.8% $597
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Plzen
$309
Barcelona
$226 26.9% $83
Groceries & Markets
Plzen
$288
Barcelona
$320 11.1% $32
Eating Out
Plzen
$190
Barcelona
$270 42.3% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Plzen
$143
Barcelona
$158 10.9% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Plzen
$82
Barcelona
$75 8.1% $6.7
Getting Around
Plzen
$41
Barcelona
$47 15.1% $6.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Plzen and $1,653 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 20% 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: $50.0 in Plzen vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $320 per month, with Plzen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇿 Plzen
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
18:17 6:17 PM
18:17 6:17 PM
Same time as Plzen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
168,951
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CZK – Czech Koruna Converter

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 21.63 CZK (100 CZK = 4.62 USD). 1 EUR = 24.31 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Plzen Barcelona 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Plzen
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Plzen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Plzen and in Barcelona?
Plzen and Barcelona differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $2,399 including rent). Plzen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 20% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Plzen and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $720 in Plzen versus $1,653 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Plzen and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $331 in Plzen versus $957 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,758 in Plzen versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Plzen but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Plzen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Plzen and Barcelona?
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.
Is Plzen or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Plzen 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.
Where should expats move: Plzen or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Plzen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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