Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szekesfehervar and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Szekesfehervar: $1,089 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Szekesfehervar, Hungary
Barcelona, Spain
Szekesfehervar
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,089
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,089 in Szekesfehervar versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Szekesfehervar $1,089
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in Szekesfehervar versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Szekesfehervar $1,787
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Szekesfehervar versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Szekesfehervar $2,485
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Szekesfehervar costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Szekesfehervar is 20% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.27 Ft 3,037
$17.59 €15.75
-47.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.6 Ft 19.2K
$67.5 €60.5
-13.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.64 Ft 2,832
$13.53 €12.12
-36.14%
Cappuccino
$2.11 Ft 691
$3.19 €2.86
-33.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 Ft 454
$2.91 €2.61
-52.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 Ft 333
$1.89 €1.70
-46.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.00 Ft 657
$4.01 €3.59
-50.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 Ft 754
$4.53 €4.06
-49.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 Ft 368
$1.31 €1.17
-14.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 Ft 441
$2.02 €1.81
-33.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 817
$1.85 €1.66
34.59%
Eggs
$3.55 Ft 1,162
$4.83 €4.33
-26.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.58 Ft 3,468
$16.74 €14.99
-36.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.10 Ft 2,001
$9.12 €8.17
-33.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.10 Ft 5,279
$19.64 €17.59
-18.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.11 Ft 692
$2.98 €2.67
-29.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 Ft 725
$2.02 €1.81
9.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 Ft 647
$2.70 €2.42
-27.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.09 Ft 1,014
$2.80 €2.51
10.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 Ft 334
$2.09 €1.87
-51.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 Ft 360
$2.07 €1.85
-46.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.64 Ft 536
$1.46 €1.31
12.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Ft 168
$0.94 €0.84
-45.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 Ft 2,208
$6.87 €6.15
-2.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.05 Ft 1,001
$7.89 €7.06
-61.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 415
$1.41 €1.26
-9.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 Ft 673
$2.54 €2.27
-19.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 Ft 391
$3.14 €2.82
-62.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.36 Ft 8,639
$25.45 €22.79
3.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 Ft 962
$2.99 €2.68
-1.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 Ft 532
$1.49 €1.34
8.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.45 Ft 6,047
$33.37 €29.89
-44.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 Ft 607
$1.80 €1.61
2.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K Ft 8.9M
$33.2K €29.7K
-18.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K Ft 9.8M
$31.7K €28.4K
-5.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 Ft 41.6K
$180 €162
-29.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.40 Ft 8,981
$13.84 €12.39
97.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.40 Ft 6,359
$33.70 €30.18
-42.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.83 Ft 14.7K
$51.5 €46.13
-12.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.96 €14.29
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.49 Ft 2,784
$10.99 €9.85
-22.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$243 Ft 79.5K
$917 €821
-73.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,655 Ft 2.2M
$16.5K €14.8K
-59.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 Ft 22.4K
$87.0 €77.9
-21.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.45 Ft 8,013
$38.51 €34.49
-36.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.6 Ft 24.4K
$106 €94.8
-29.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.1 Ft 26.9K
$120 €107
-31.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$394 Ft 129.2K
$1,699 €1,522
-76.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$308 Ft 100.9K
$1,355 €1,214
-77.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 206.3K
$2,603 €2,331
-75.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 Ft 214.7K
$2,062 €1,847
-68.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,372 Ft 1.1M
$6,915 €6,193
-51.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,051 Ft 1.0M
$5,128 €4,592
-40.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szekesfehervar
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,489 Ft 487.9K
$2,211 €1,980
-32.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
3.28
103.35%

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

Last update for Szekesfehervar: October 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Szekesfehervar
$308
Barcelona
$1.4K 340% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Szekesfehervar
$241
Barcelona
$322 33.5% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekesfehervar
$174
Barcelona
$228 31.1% $54
Eating Out
Szekesfehervar
$150
Barcelona
$268 79.2% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Szekesfehervar
$112
Barcelona
$158 40.7% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Szekesfehervar
$62
Barcelona
$74 18.9% $12
Getting Around
Szekesfehervar
$42
Barcelona
$48 14.9% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Szekesfehervar and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 49% 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: $59 in Szekesfehervar vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $322 per month, with Szekesfehervar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Szekesfehervar
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
18:24 6:24 PM
18:24 6:24 PM
Same time as Szekesfehervar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
96,024
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 328 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.05 USD). 1 EUR = 366 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.73 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Szekesfehervar Barcelona 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Szekesfehervar
  • 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
Szekesfehervar vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Szekesfehervar and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,089 in Szekesfehervar and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Szekesfehervar is about 56% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Szekesfehervar. 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: $394 in Szekesfehervar versus $1,699 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 $243 in Szekesfehervar versus $917 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 33% 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 $1,089 in Szekesfehervar versus $2,453 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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Szekesfehervar and Barcelona?
It comes down to priorities – Szekesfehervar wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Szekesfehervar vs other spots: cost of living compared

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