Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Takamatsu and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Takamatsu: $1,191 a month against $2,381 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Takamatsu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,191
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Takamatsu versus $2,381 in Barcelona.

  • Takamatsu $1,191
  • Barcelona $2,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Takamatsu versus $3,406 in Barcelona.

  • Takamatsu $1,881
  • Barcelona $3,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,571 in Takamatsu versus $4,431 in Barcelona.

  • Takamatsu $2,571
  • Barcelona $4,431

Living in Takamatsu costs roughly 50% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Takamatsu is 12% below, Barcelona is 76% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.20 ¥980
$17.89 €15.92
-65.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.99 ¥5,054
$66.2 €58.9
-51.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.12 ¥809
$13.69 €12.18
-62.60%
Cappuccino
$3.13 ¥495
$3.06 €2.72
2.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 ¥189
$3.07 €2.73
-61.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥126
$1.94 €1.73
-58.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.60 ¥410
$3.87 €3.44
-32.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ¥508
$4.61 €4.10
-30.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ¥238
$1.30 €1.16
15.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 ¥252
$2.10 €1.87
-23.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 ¥278
$1.83 €1.62
-3.83%
Eggs
$2.29 ¥361
$4.62 €4.11
-50.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.37 ¥1,639
$17.36 €15.44
-40.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.60 ¥1,043
$9.28 €8.25
-28.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.83 ¥2,659
$19.83 €17.64
-15.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 ¥583
$3.01 €2.68
22.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 ¥360
$2.03 €1.81
12.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 ¥458
$2.65 €2.36
9.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 ¥671
$2.87 €2.55
47.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 ¥391
$2.16 €1.92
14.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 ¥389
$2.15 €1.91
14.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ¥201
$1.47 €1.31
-13.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ¥124
$0.88 €0.79
-10.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.67 ¥580
$6.93 €6.16
-47.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.63 ¥1,048
$7.83 €6.96
-15.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 ¥298
$1.39 €1.24
35.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 ¥333
$2.63 €2.34
-19.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 ¥231
$2.91 €2.59
-49.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ¥8,414
$25.46 €22.64
109.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 ¥503
$3.00 €2.66
6.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.79 ¥442
$1.44 €1.28
93.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.60 ¥2,938
$33.20 €29.53
-43.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥168
$1.86 €1.65
-43.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$32.3K €28.8K
-33.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$31.7K €28.2K
-52.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 ¥21.6K
$183 €163
-25.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.78 ¥3,757
$13.61 €12.11
74.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.79 ¥4,865
$32.93 €29.29
-6.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 ¥8,161
$54.7 €48.65
-5.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.11 ¥491
$16.52 €14.70
-81.17%
Cinema Ticket
$11.79 ¥1,862
$11.23 €9.99
4.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$521 ¥82.3K
$954 €849
-45.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ¥2.0M
$16.6K €14.8K
-23.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.96 ¥7,736
$86.0 €76.5
-43.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.24 ¥4,936
$39.11 €34.78
-20.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.1 ¥9,499
$104 €92.2
-42.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.5 ¥14.3K
$119 €106
-23.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$529 ¥83.6K
$1,695 €1,508
-68.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 ¥52.8K
$1,276 €1,135
-73.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 ¥172.0K
$2,576 €2,291
-57.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$735 ¥116.1K
$1,922 €1,710
-61.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,144 ¥654.7K
$7,281 €6,477
-43.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,783 ¥281.6K
$5,010 €4,456
-64.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Takamatsu
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,761 ¥278.1K
$2,227 €1,981
-20.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
3.28
-32.62%

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

Last update for Takamatsu: October 20, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Takamatsu
$334
Barcelona
$1.3K 282% $942
Groceries & Markets
Takamatsu
$280
Barcelona
$325 15.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Takamatsu
$191
Barcelona
$229 19.8% $38
Eating Out
Takamatsu
$130
Barcelona
$270 107% $140
Clothing & Footwear
Takamatsu
$104
Barcelona
$156 50.5% $52
Getting Around
Takamatsu
$76
Barcelona
$47 38% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Takamatsu
$75
Barcelona
$77 2.6% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Takamatsu and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 26% 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: $32.00 in Takamatsu vs $66.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $325 per month, with Takamatsu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Takamatsu
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
12:00 12:00 PM
05:00 5:00 AM
7 h behind Takamatsu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
426,514
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Takamatsu Barcelona 10,270 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Takamatsu
  • 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
Takamatsu vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Takamatsu and in Barcelona?
Takamatsu and Barcelona differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $2,381 including rent). Takamatsu 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 26% 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 Takamatsu and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $529 in Takamatsu versus $1,695 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 Takamatsu and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $521 in Takamatsu versus $954 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 16% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,191 in Takamatsu versus $2,381 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Takamatsu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Takamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Takamatsu 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 Takamatsu or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Takamatsu 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: Takamatsu or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Takamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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