🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,387 in Shaab versus $2,341 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,337 in Shaab versus $3,462 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,288 in Shaab versus $4,582 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Shaab costs roughly 41% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Shaab4% above, Barcelona75% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.99KWD 3.08
$17.61€15.04
-43.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.5KWD 24.79
$68.7€58.7
17.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.25KWD 2.85
$13.75€11.74
-32.73%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47KWD 0.76
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63KWD 1.12
-
-
Cappuccino
$6.04KWD 1.86
$2.76€2.36
118.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70KWD 0.21
$2.78€2.38
-74.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38KWD 0.12
$2.05€1.75
-81.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.61€3.93
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.59€3.92
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55KWD 0.48
$1.28€1.09
21.09%
White Bread(500g)
$1.24KWD 0.38
$2.11€1.80
-41.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.79KWD 0.55
$1.97€1.68
-9.14%
Eggs
$2.11KWD 0.65
$3.44€2.94
-38.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.16KWD 1.59
$18.83€16.08
-72.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.33KWD 1.95
$9.45€8.07
-33.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.29KWD 3.17
$19.01€16.24
-45.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47KWD 0.76
$2.72€2.32
-9.19%
Banana(1kg)
$1.92KWD 0.59
$2.37€2.03
-18.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.78KWD 0.55
$2.08€1.77
-14.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.45KWD 0.45
$2.76€2.36
-47.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.23KWD 0.38
$1.97€1.68
-37.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.27KWD 0.39
$1.79€1.53
-29.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.67KWD 0.52
$1.51€1.29
10.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46KWD 0.14
$0.90€0.77
-48.89%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$3.26KWD 1.00
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04KWD 0.32
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39KWD 0.43
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03KWD 0.93
$6.76€5.77
-55.18%
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
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88KWD 0.27
$3.03€2.59
-70.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.44KWD 13.38
$28.39€24.25
53.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.19KWD 0.98
$4.43€3.78
-27.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.27KWD 1.01
$2.05€1.75
59.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.08KWD 4.95
$29.33€25.05
-45.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.33KWD 0.10
$1.89€1.61
-82.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5KKWD 6,634
$38.7K€33.1K
-44.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2KKWD 6,222
$32.4K€27.6K
-37.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.0KWD 19.41
$189€161
-66.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.28KWD 5.63
$22.21€18.96
-17.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.72KWD 7.92
$36.82€31.44
-30.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$95.8KWD 29.51
$58.0€49.52
65.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.65KWD 14.37
$20.99€17.93
122.25%
Cinema Ticket
$11.30KWD 3.48
$11.05€9.44
2.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$398KWD 122
$726€620
-45.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,609KWD 2,035
$15.2K€13.0K
-56.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.60KWD 13.12
$88.3€75.4
-51.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.66KWD 12.83
$36.98€31.58
12.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.3KWD 26.57
$103€87.6
-15.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.8KWD 24.89
$119€102
-32.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$791KWD 244
$1,526€1,304
-48.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$611KWD 188
$1,218€1,040
-49.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,578KWD 486
$2,794€2,386
-43.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,273KWD 392
$2,027€1,731
-37.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,094€6,058
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$4,849€4,141
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shaab
Barcelona
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,200KWD 986
$2,404€2,053
33.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.14
3.39
110.62%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Shaab: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $791 in Shaab and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Shaab pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $80.0 in Shaab vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $320, with Shaab cheaper for home cooking.
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
Shaab vs Barcelona: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Shaab and Barcelona?
Shaab and Barcelona differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,387 vs $2,341 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Shaab or Barcelona?
Shaab pays 33% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Shaab and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $791 in Shaab 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 Shaab and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $398 in Shaab 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 79% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,387 in Shaab versus $2,341 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.
How does quality of life compare between Shaab 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 Shaab or Barcelona safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Shaab or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.