Manchester vs Barcelona Cost of Living
Manchester (United Kingdom) · Overall index 57.5 — Barcelona (Spain) · Overall index 56.2
Summary
- Overall, Barcelona is 2% cheaper than Manchester.
- Rent in Barcelona is 9% cheaper than in Manchester.
- Transport in Barcelona is 7% more expensive than in Manchester.
| Item | Manchester | Barcelona | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -9% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,708 | $1,445 | -15% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,022 | $902 | -12% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,649 | $2,803 | +6% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,136 | $1,905 | -11% |
| Groceries | -3% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $0.93 | +1% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.87 | $2.74 | -5% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.41 | +2% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.69 | +11% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.2 | $11 | -2% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $9.93 | -5% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.1 | $13.3 | -12% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.94 | $4.12 | +5% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.37 | $1.53 | +12% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.67 | $3.14 | -14% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.39 | $4.37 | 0% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.3 | +4% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2 | $1.83 | -8% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.08 | $1.77 | -15% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.88 | $1.61 | -14% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.5 | $11.3 | +8% |
| Transport | +7% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.69 | $1.83 | +8% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $73 | $81.9 | +12% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.89 | $2.67 | -8% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.37 | +12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.59 | $0.68 | +15% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $17,866 | $18,305 | +2% |
| Dining out | -1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $16.4 | +11% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $87 | $78.7 | -10% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.79 | $7.38 | -16% |
| Cappuccino | $4.09 | $3.74 | -9% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $1.88 | -6% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.51 | $5.27 | +17% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.43 | $5.85 | +8% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.32 | +4% |
| Telecom | +2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49 | $45.4 | -7% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $46.5 | $50.8 | +9% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.28 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.4 | $11 | +6% |
| Utilities & household | -4% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $122 | $128 | +5% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.17 | $0.17 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.22 | $3.08 | -4% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.09 | $0.98 | -10% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $16.4 | -9% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $66.4 | $53.1 | -20% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.2 | $11.7 | +15% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $24.4 | -1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20 | $17.7 | -12% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,443 | $1,362 | -6% |
3,390 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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