What is the cost of living in Barcelona?

As the world continues to become more and more like the global village idealized by Marshall McLuhan, it’s increasingly common for people to move abroad. Whether you are moving for educational or professional reasons, or even just to experience life somewhere different, one of the most important things you should think about before you do so is the cost of living in your destination. This will allow you to make a more informed decision, negotiate a more fitting salary with your potential employer abroad and just generally manage your money better.

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So, if you’re moving to Barcelona, we have good news. Despite all its awesomeness, Barcelona is currently only the 142nd most expensive place in the world to live. Now, when it comes to your personal monthly cost of living in Barcelona, that will depend on your choices when it comes to housing, bills, grocery shopping, public transportation, leisure and entertainment (well, for these last two some people only really need a pack of crisps and a Netflix subscription, don’t they?).

Housing

Location, location, location – just like anywhere else, a less stellar house in a great location will cost you more than a fantastic house far from the center of the city. For a compromise, seek to stay in neighbourhoods like Les Corts, Eixample or Sagrada Familia. These are still somewhat well located and offer average rents.

Whether you are looking for a short-term, monthly or yearly rental, ShBarcelona has what you’re looking for. The website is pretty easy to navigate, so browse through the different neighbourhoods, try different specifications and you should get a good idea of how much it would cost to fulfil your specific housing needs.

Bills

Standard utilities (water, electricity, gas and heating) will cost you an average of 70€ a month. Add in the cheapest internet (38€) and a basic mobile phone subscription (10€) and you’re looking at a monthly cost of about 120€ in this department. Not too bad, right?

Groceries

For a single person, the monthly cost will be around 150€ if you buy from discount supermarkets like Spar and around 200€ if you go to more expensive stores such as El Corte Inglés or Carrefour.

Public Transport

Single tickets cost 2,50€ and are valid for all forms of transport – metro, trams, buses, and trains. You can also buy a 10-journey pass for 9,95€ or a monthly pass for 53,75€.

Other options for moving around are Bicing, the Barcelona public bike system (47,16€ for an annual pass) and taxis (who charge an average of 13€ for an 8 km trip).

Restaurants

You have a lot of choices in this department, so you can easily adjust how much you want to indulge yourself, according to the state of your finances at the moment. Eating out around Barcelona isn’t exactly cheap, with the least expensive menus marked at 8-10€. A meal at a mid-range restaurant will cost you around 20€ per person, while fancier places will you charge between 30€ and 40€.

Entertainment

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Cinema tickets cost between 6,50€ and 11€ in Barcelona. Theatre plays are quite a bit more expensive, with each person paying around 40€.

There are always plenty of music festivals and concerts both in and outside Barcelona, with prices varying depending on performer and venue. While a ticket to see a big name like Julio Iglesias might cost you over 100€, there are some alternative festivals where 4 days of camping and concerts won’t cost you more than 40€.

When it comes to clubbing, most Barcelona clubs ask for an entry fee of around 20€, which includes 1 drink.

Get your calculator

These are pretty much the most important factors to consider when it comes to calculating the cost of living in Barcelona. Like everywhere else, being careful with your money and planning ahead (i.e grocery shopping for the whole month; deciding your meals in advance; buying a pass if you’re going to be using public transportation every day) is important to make sure you won’t run into any trouble.

Are you planning on moving soon? Are you coming for work, school or adventure? Let us know everything using the comment box below!