Cost of Living Comparison Between Szekesfehervar and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Szekesfehervar and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,141 in Szekesfehervar versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,854 in Szekesfehervar versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,567 in Szekesfehervar versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Szekesfehervar costs roughly 54% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Szekesfehervar is 17% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.05 Ft 3,197
$18.74 €16.33
-46.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.7 Ft 20.0K
$69.5 €60.6
-9.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.75 Ft 2,783
$13.77 €12.00
-36.46%
Cappuccino
$2.28 Ft 726
$3.10 €2.70
-26.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 Ft 458
$2.83 €2.47
-49.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 Ft 348
$1.88 €1.64
-42.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.09 Ft 665
$3.98 €3.47
-47.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 Ft 770
$4.53 €3.95
-46.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 Ft 374
$1.27 €1.11
-7.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 Ft 471
$2.16 €1.88
-31.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.69 Ft 854
$1.76 €1.53
52.84%
Eggs
$3.61 Ft 1,147
$5.13 €4.47
-29.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.05 Ft 3,197
$17.88 €15.59
-43.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.51 Ft 2,070
$9.65 €8.41
-32.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.27 Ft 5,174
$20.15 €17.56
-19.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.11 Ft 672
$3.25 €2.84
-35.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 Ft 714
$2.23 €1.94
0.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 Ft 647
$2.60 €2.27
-21.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 Ft 1,001
$2.76 €2.40
14.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 Ft 343
$2.21 €1.93
-51.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 Ft 375
$2.12 €1.85
-44.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 Ft 494
$1.55 €1.35
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 Ft 156
$0.95 €0.83
-48.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70 Ft 2,132
$7.34 €6.40
-8.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.13 Ft 994
$8.05 €7.01
-61.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 413
$1.54 €1.35
-15.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 Ft 672
$2.79 €2.43
-24.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 Ft 406
$3.11 €2.71
-58.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.52 Ft 8,753
$25.86 €22.54
6.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.16 Ft 1,005
$3.27 €2.85
-3.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 Ft 540
$1.48 €1.29
14.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.98 Ft 6,039
$34.27 €29.88
-44.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 Ft 602
$1.73 €1.51
9.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K Ft 8.9M
$36.4K €31.7K
-23.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K Ft 9.9M
$30.5K €26.6K
1.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 Ft 41.5K
$187 €163
-30.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.57 Ft 9,088
$15.14 €13.20
88.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.92 Ft 6,337
$37.69 €32.85
-47.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.27 Ft 15.0K
$55.9 €48.76
-15.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.08 €14.89
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.72 Ft 2,773
$11.41 €9.95
-23.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$257 Ft 81.9K
$997 €869
-74.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,989 Ft 2.2M
$16.5K €14.4K
-57.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.1 Ft 22.3K
$92.6 €80.8
-24.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.20 Ft 8,017
$41.22 €35.93
-38.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.2 Ft 24.9K
$111 €96.9
-29.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3 Ft 27.5K
$125 €109
-31.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 Ft 128.2K
$1,707 €1,488
-76.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$314 Ft 100.0K
$1,286 €1,121
-75.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$640 Ft 203.5K
$2,565 €2,236
-75.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Ft 214.5K
$1,942 €1,693
-65.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,505 Ft 1.1M
$7,647 €6,666
-54.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,191 Ft 1.0M
$5,167 €4,504
-38.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,519 Ft 483.2K
$2,348 €2,047
-35.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
3.16
111.08%

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

Last update for Szekesfehervar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Szekesfehervar and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 55% 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: $63.0 in Szekesfehervar vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $336 per month, with Szekesfehervar cheaper across the board.

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
Szekesfehervar vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Szekesfehervar and in Barcelona?
Szekesfehervar and Barcelona differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,141 vs $2,476 including rent). Szekesfehervar 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 55% 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 Szekesfehervar and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Szekesfehervar versus $1,707 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 Szekesfehervar and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $257 in Szekesfehervar versus $997 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 37% 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 $1,141 in Szekesfehervar versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szekesfehervar but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Szekesfehervar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Szekesfehervar 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 Szekesfehervar or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Szekesfehervar 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: Szekesfehervar or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Szekesfehervar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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