As we saw in our article What is the average salary in Barcelona?, Barcelona has one of the highest average salaries in Spain. But one question that might follow after knowing the numbers probably might be: And what about the cost of living in Barcelona? And that is the question that we will try to answer in this new article :-)
Rent in Barcelona
Rent price is one of the most crucial issues to take into account when considering moving abroad. A considerable part of your monthly budget will go to pay the rent, so here we share some references of rents in Barcelona for you to get a general idea. Take into account that prices might considerably vary depending on the neighborhood.
- 85m flat (900 sqft, 2 rooms) in a normal area (not the cheapest nor the most expensive): 1.100€
- 45m studio (480 sqft) in a normal area (not the cheapest nor the most expensive): 700€
- A room in a shared flat in a normal area: 500€.
If you don’t really know about the diverse neighborhoods in the city, you can check the article we wrote about the best neighborhoods to live in Barcelona.
Grocery shopping in Barcelona
We explained in a humorous way the differences between doing the groceries in Spain vs doing the groceries in the US. But what about the differences when it comes to the item prices? The cost of living in Barcelona is also easy to perceive when going grocery-shopping:
- Milk (1qt / 1 l.): 0,90€
- A dozen of regular eggs: 3€ (average price, which might vary depending on the quality).
- Apples (2lb / 1k.): 2€
- Potatoes (2lb / 1k): 1,40€
- 1 Lettuce: 1€
- A baguette: 1€
Cost of transport in Barcelona
Barcelona’s public transport system works pretty well. But what are the tariffs if you use it on a daily basis? Here are some of the options you have:
- One-way ticket: 2,40€.
- 10 journey ticket: T-Casual 1 zone: 11,35€ / Validity: until prices change.
- Monthly pass: T-Usual 1 zone: 40€ / Unlimited journeys / Validity: monthly.
(Metro and bus lines within the Barcelona area are 1 zone).
Going to the movies in Barcelona
Since going to the movies in Barcelona (and anywhere) is one of our favorite things to do, we included also this information because we consider it crucial :-P These are the general prices of the tickets:
- General ticket: 8,70€
- Día del espectador (a day of the week with a reduced price, depending on the cinema): 5,20€.
Also, if you love going to the movies, you will be glad to know that Barcelona has special VO theaters where you can watch movies at a cheaper price. There is also the Filmoteca de Catalunya and the city also hosts many cinema festivals throughout the year. These are our favorite film festivals in Barcelona
Going out to dinner/lunch in Barcelona
One of the important things to consider here is that you won’t have to calculate the tip at the end of the meal, since the system here in Barcelona works differently, as we explained in the article Going out to have dinner in Barcelona: to tip or not to tip? But how is the approximate cost of dinner in Barcelona? It will depend on the type of restaurant you choose to have dinner, but here are some references:
- Fast-food menu: 8€ pax
- “Menú del día” (lunch menu at a restaurant): 12-16€ pax.
- Dinner (mid-range restaurant): 20-25€ pax.
After reading this article, we hope you have a more clear idea regarding the cost of living in Barcelona. You can also check out the article American moving to Spain: pros and cons to learn more about the country and what to expect.