🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,119 in Szombathely versus $2,367 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Szombathely versus $3,465 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,110 in Szombathely versus $4,563 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Szombathely costs roughly 53% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Szombathely is 17% below, Barcelona is 77% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.74Ft 2,667
$17.58€15.12
-50.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.50Ft 13.3K
$68.4€58.9
-36.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.59Ft 2,620
$14.06€12.09
-38.90%
Cappuccino
$2.17Ft 663
$2.78€2.39
-21.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10Ft 336
$2.80€2.41
-60.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98Ft 299
$2.06€1.78
-52.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.57Ft 478
$4.46€3.84
-64.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19Ft 668
$4.61€3.96
-52.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05Ft 321
$1.24€1.07
-15.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.50Ft 457
$2.03€1.74
-26.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.81Ft 553
$1.92€1.65
-5.73%
Eggs
$2.42Ft 739
$3.31€2.85
-26.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05Ft 2,759
$18.43€15.85
-50.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.14Ft 1,872
$9.49€8.16
-35.30%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30Ft 4,361
$19.16€16.48
-25.37%
Apples(1kg)
$1.96Ft 599
$2.64€2.27
-25.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.83Ft 558
$2.45€2.11
-25.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.20Ft 670
$2.12€1.82
3.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.91Ft 888
$2.85€2.45
2.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13Ft 345
$2.04€1.75
-44.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.22Ft 373
$1.85€1.59
-34.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.80Ft 549
$1.47€1.26
22.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54Ft 163
$0.84€0.73
-35.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16Ft 2,183
$7.14€6.14
0.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.02Ft 1,531
$7.88€6.78
-36.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17Ft 357
$1.38€1.19
-15.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57Ft 478
$2.31€1.99
-32.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.81Ft 247
$2.98€2.56
-72.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.44Ft 5,625
$29.26€25.17
-36.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.66Ft 811
$4.60€3.95
-42.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.16Ft 354
$2.07€1.78
-43.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.24Ft 6,782
$29.18€25.10
-23.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68Ft 512
$1.84€1.58
-8.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KFt 8.4M
$39.0K€33.6K
-29.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4KFt 7.7M
$32.7K€28.1K
-22.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166Ft 50.5K
$188€162
-11.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.27Ft 8,315
$22.93€19.73
18.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.55Ft 5,961
$36.71€31.58
-46.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.17Ft 14.1K
$57.4€49.35
-19.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.75Ft 5,108
$20.70€17.80
-19.08%
Cinema Ticket
$4.34Ft 1,322
$11.19€9.63
-61.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$402Ft 122.6K
$721€620
-44.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,204Ft 2.2M
$15.0K€12.9K
-52.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8Ft 28.0K
$86.2€74.2
6.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.08Ft 13.7K
$37.07€31.89
21.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.0Ft 28.4K
$102€87.8
-8.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101Ft 30.8K
$116€99.7
-12.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$429Ft 131.0K
$1,534€1,319
-72.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$313Ft 95.4K
$1,220€1,050
-74.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$440Ft 134.1K
$2,696€2,319
-83.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$341Ft 103.9K
$2,013€1,732
-83.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,656Ft 810.0K
$7,220€6,211
-63.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,156Ft 657.6K
$5,189€4,463
-58.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szombathely
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,262Ft 384.9K
$2,359€2,029
-46.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.5
3.39
121.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Szombathely: May 31, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Szombathely and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Barcelona pays 87% 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: $43.00 in Szombathely vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $318 per month, with Szombathely 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
Szombathely vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Szombathely and Barcelona?
Szombathely and Barcelona differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,119 vs $2,367 including rent). Szombathely 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 87% 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 Szombathely and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Szombathely versus $1,534 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 Szombathely and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $402 in Szombathely versus $721 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 41% 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 $1,119 in Szombathely versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szombathely but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Szombathely the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Szombathely 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 Szombathely or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Szombathely 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: Szombathely or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Szombathely gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Szombathely vs other spots: cost of living compared