Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pula and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Pula: $1,580 a month against $2,381 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pula
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,580
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pula 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 Pula and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,580 in Pula versus $2,381 in Barcelona.

  • Pula $1,580
  • Barcelona $2,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Pula versus $3,406 in Barcelona.

  • Pula $2,515
  • Barcelona $3,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,450 in Pula versus $4,431 in Barcelona.

  • Pula $3,450
  • Barcelona $4,431

Living in Pula costs roughly 34% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pula 17% above, Barcelona 76% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.68 €13.06
$17.89 €15.92
-17.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.6
$66.2 €58.9
2.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.92 €7.94
$13.69 €12.18
-34.84%
Cappuccino
$2.55 €2.27
$3.06 €2.72
-16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.60
$3.07 €2.73
-4.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.94 €1.73
7.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.05
$3.87 €3.44
-11.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 €3.92
$4.61 €4.10
-4.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$1.30 €1.16
-5.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.10 €1.87
-11.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.18 €2.83
$1.83 €1.62
73.77%
Eggs
$3.78 €3.37
$4.62 €4.11
-18.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.95 €9.74
$17.36 €15.44
-36.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.79 €9.59
$9.28 €8.25
16.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.80 €16.72
$19.83 €17.64
-5.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$3.01 €2.68
-34.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.03 €1.81
-7.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 €1.90
$2.65 €2.36
-19.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$2.87 €2.55
-9.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.16 €1.92
-37.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 €1.19
$2.15 €1.91
-38.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.15
$1.47 €1.31
-11.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.08
$0.88 €0.79
38.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 €4.97
$6.93 €6.16
-19.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 €6.94
$7.83 €6.96
-0.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.39 €1.24
33.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.63 €2.34
-8.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.91 €2.59
-21.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.26 €29.58
$25.46 €22.64
30.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 €2.91
$3.00 €2.66
9.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.44 €1.28
54.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.18 €19.73
$33.20 €29.53
-33.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 €1.62
$1.86 €1.65
-1.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K €23.1K
$32.3K €28.8K
-19.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$31.7K €28.2K
-16.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 €139
$183 €163
-14.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.01 €19.58
$13.61 €12.11
61.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.37 €35.02
$32.93 €29.29
19.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.70 €44.21
$54.7 €48.65
-9.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.64 €33.48
$16.52 €14.70
127.85%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$11.23 €9.99
-5.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 €214
$954 €849
-74.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,826 €2,514
$16.6K €14.8K
-82.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €101
$86.0 €76.5
32.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.80 €32.74
$39.11 €34.78
-5.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 €128
$104 €92.2
39.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €116
$119 €106
10.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 €609
$1,695 €1,508
-59.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$522 €464
$1,276 €1,135
-59.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,315 €1,170
$2,576 €2,291
-48.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 €889
$1,922 €1,710
-48.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,363 €3,881
$7,281 €6,477
-40.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,650 €3,246
$5,010 €4,456
-27.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pula
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,517 €1,349
$2,227 €1,981
-31.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
3.28
7.93%

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

Last update for Pula: October 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pula
$522
Barcelona
$1.3K 145% $755
Groceries & Markets
Pula
$301
Barcelona
$325 8.1% $24
Eating Out
Pula
$221
Barcelona
$270 22.1% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
$218
Barcelona
$229 5.4% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Pula
$192
Barcelona
$156 18.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Pula
$71
Barcelona
$77 8.8% $6.3
Getting Around
Pula
$57
Barcelona
$47 16.7% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $685 in Pula and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 47% 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: $68.0 in Pula vs $66.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $325, with Pula cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Pula
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
13:36 1:36 PM
13:36 1:36 PM
Same time as Pula
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,220
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pula Barcelona 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pula
  • 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
Pula vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Pula and in Barcelona?
Pula and Barcelona differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,580 vs $2,381 including rent). Pula 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 47% 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 Pula and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $685 in Pula versus $1,695 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 Pula and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $240 in Pula versus $954 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 8% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,580 in Pula versus $2,381 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pula but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Pula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Pula 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 Pula or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Pula 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: Pula or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Pula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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