Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaab and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaab and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Shaab versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Shaab versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,344 in Shaab versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Shaab costs roughly 42% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Shaab 3% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.63 KWD 2.96

$17.15 €14.86

-43.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 KWD 25.37

$68.1 €58.9

21.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 KWD 2.76

$13.64 €11.82

-34.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$5.85 KWD 1.80

$2.78 €2.41

110.43%

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

$0.65 KWD 0.20

$2.82 €2.44

-76.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.96 €1.70

-82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.27 €1.10

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$2.13 €1.85

-42.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.99 €1.72

-10.05%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$3.37 €2.92

-39.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 KWD 1.56

$18.96 €16.42

-73.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 KWD 1.94

$9.53 €8.26

-33.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 KWD 3.13

$18.73 €16.22

-45.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.65 €2.29

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 KWD 0.61

$2.35 €2.04

-16.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$2.09 €1.81

-14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.73 €2.37

-45.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.96 €1.70

-37.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.81 €1.56

-29.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.51 €1.31

5.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.89 €0.77

-49.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

$6.78 €5.87

-55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$2.91 €2.52

-71.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 KWD 13.67

$28.66 €24.82

55.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$4.58 €3.96

-29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$2.04 €1.77

61.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.30 KWD 5.01

$28.72 €24.87

-43.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.82 €1.58

-80.22%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,429

$39.3K €34.0K

-46.84%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,018

$32.5K €28.1K

-39.76%

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

$62.8 KWD 19.30

$187 €162

-66.38%

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

$18.65 KWD 5.74

$22.29 €19.30

-16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.32 KWD 7.79

$36.37 €31.50

-30.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 KWD 28.35

$57.5 €49.82

60.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.43 KWD 13.98

$20.74 €17.96

119.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 KWD 3.50

$10.77 €9.33

5.66%

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

$402 KWD 124

$725 €628

-44.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,464 KWD 1,988

$15.2K €13.1K

-57.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.97 KWD 13.22

$87.9 €76.1

-51.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.84 KWD 13.18

$36.81 €31.88

16.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 KWD 26.67

$103 €89.6

-16.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 KWD 24.85

$119 €103

-31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 KWD 245

$1,524 €1,319

-47.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 KWD 191

$1,227 €1,062

-49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 KWD 489

$2,727 €2,362

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 KWD 396

$1,984 €1,718

-35.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,166 KWD 974

$2,393 €2,072

32.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

3.39

110.62%

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

Last update for Shaab: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $796 in Shaab and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Shaab vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $319, with Shaab cheaper for home cooking.

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

Shaab vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shaab and Barcelona differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,375 vs $2,359 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Shaab, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $796 in Shaab versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $402 in Shaab versus $725 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,375 in Shaab versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab 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, Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.