🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Qatif versus $2,341 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Qatif versus $3,462 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Qatif versus $4,582 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Qatif costs roughly 55% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Qatif is 21% below, Barcelona is 75% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.39SAR 12.71
$17.61€15.04
-80.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.21SAR 181
$68.7€58.7
-29.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.10SAR 30.38
$13.75€11.74
-41.09%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.88SAR 7.05
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84SAR 6.89
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.53SAR 13.23
$2.76€2.36
27.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77SAR 2.89
$2.78€2.38
-72.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26SAR 0.97
$2.05€1.75
-87.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.61€3.93
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.59€3.92
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65SAR 6.18
$1.28€1.09
28.91%
White Bread(500g)
$0.80SAR 3.01
$2.11€1.80
-62.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.10SAR 7.89
$1.97€1.68
6.60%
Eggs
$2.33SAR 8.73
$3.44€2.94
-32.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.20SAR 23.26
$18.83€16.08
-67.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.16SAR 26.83
$9.45€8.07
-24.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.02SAR 37.58
$19.01€16.24
-47.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.14SAR 8.01
$2.72€2.32
-21.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54SAR 5.76
$2.37€2.03
-35.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44SAR 5.38
$2.08€1.77
-30.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.72SAR 2.68
$2.76€2.36
-73.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28SAR 4.78
$1.97€1.68
-35.03%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33SAR 4.99
$1.79€1.53
-25.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11SAR 4.15
$1.51€1.29
-26.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51SAR 1.90
$0.90€0.77
-43.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$2.60SAR 9.73
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57SAR 5.87
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99SAR 7.48
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.51SAR 28.17
$6.76€5.77
11.09%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$7.55€6.44
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.44€1.23
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.41€2.06
-
🚌 Getting Around
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.09SAR 4.08
$3.03€2.59
-64.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.91SAR 150
$28.39€24.25
40.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12SAR 11.71
$4.43€3.78
-29.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57SAR 5.88
$2.05€1.75
-23.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.41SAR 50.3
$29.33€25.05
-54.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.63SAR 2.37
$1.89€1.61
-66.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KSAR 84.3K
$38.7K€33.1K
-41.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6KSAR 73.5K
$32.4K€27.6K
-39.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103SAR 387
$189€161
-45.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.05SAR 139
$22.21€18.96
66.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.9SAR 221
$36.82€31.44
60.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$95.3SAR 357
$58.0€49.52
64.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$57.2SAR 214
$20.99€17.93
172.46%
Cinema Ticket
$15.22SAR 57.1
$11.05€9.44
37.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$392SAR 1,470
$726€620
-46.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,106SAR 30.4K
$15.2K€13.0K
-46.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.4SAR 196
$88.3€75.4
-40.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8SAR 190
$36.98€31.58
37.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.5SAR 343
$103€87.6
-10.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.4SAR 320
$119€102
-28.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$356SAR 1,333
$1,526€1,304
-76.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$282SAR 1,058
$1,218€1,040
-76.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$710SAR 2,661
$2,794€2,386
-74.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$495SAR 1,855
$2,027€1,731
-75.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$943SAR 3,537
$7,094€6,058
-86.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$776SAR 2,910
$4,849€4,141
-84.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qatif
Barcelona
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,869SAR 7,009
$2,404€2,053
-22.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.33
3.39
27.73%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Qatif: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Qatif and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Barcelona pays 29% 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: $48.00 in Qatif vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $320 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Qatif vs Barcelona: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Qatif and Barcelona?
Qatif and Barcelona differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $2,341 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Barcelona earns 29% less. 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 Qatif and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $356 in Qatif versus $1,526 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 Qatif and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $392 in Qatif versus $726 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 85% 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 $1,055 in Qatif versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Qatif 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 Qatif or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Qatif 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: Qatif or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.