Cost of Living in Barcelona: Expense Insights 2024

Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Each and every student tries to plan their study abroad journey perfectly but without a proper estimate cost of living in a foreign country it can be extremely difficult to plan effectively. So in today’s blog, we are going to provide you with some detailed insight related to the average cost of living in Barcelona.

This blog will be extremely important if you are planning to study in Barcelona. It will help you get an idea of the cost of living in Barcelona, such as food costs, housing rent, monthly local transportation costs, healthcare for general checkups, grocery costs, and overall affordability. So sit tight and continue reading to uncover some detailed information related to this topic.

Cost of Living in Barcelona

Barcelona, a dynamic city in Spain, is famous for its stunning architecture, culture, history, modernity, prestigious Universities and football. Moreover, this vibrant city has its own living expenses, and the average cost of living in Barcelona for a person is around EUR 790 without rent.

There are numerous kinds of costs that can be associated with living in Barcelona, and different students or individuals can have different kinds of lifestyles, so we are going to cover some of the essentials first, but before that, have a glance at an overview of various expenses:

Product or Service	Approx Cost
Private Room (1 bedroom)	EUR 1,232
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)	EUR 15
One-way ticket local transport	EUR 2.40
Gasoline (1 Litre)	EUR 1.67
Utilities Basic (Electricity, Heating/Cooling, Garbage, etc)	EUR 162
Utilities Mobile Bill (Monthly Plan with 10GB+ Data)	EUR 16.79
Milk (1 Litre)	EUR 1.7
Fresh White Bread (500g)	EUR 1.50
A dozen of eggs	EUR 2.81
Rice (1Kg)	EUR 1.46
Local Cheese (1Kg)	EUR 12.57
Apples (1Kg)	EUR 2.04
Banana (1Kg)	EUR 1.72
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	EUR 0.76

Also Read: Cost of Living in Cuba: A Comprehensive Guide on Cuba’s Expense

Now that you have a brief overview of the cost of living in Barcelona in various categories, let’s move further and examine the comprehensive costs in detail.

Cost of Accommodations in Barcelona

The biggest hurdle while living in Barcelona can be getting accommodation, as living in an upscale city like Barcelona comes at a cost. The most expensive areas are Ciutat Vella, Sarriá-Sant Gervasi, and Sant Martí where average rent can be between EUR 15 and EUR 17 per square metre, while the cheapest areas like Horta-Guinardó or Nou Barris, where rent can range between EUR 11 and EUR 12 per square meter.

There isn’t much difference, so you can expect a decent accommodation option for about EUR 900 to 1300, which is a major part of your cost of living in Barcelona.

Cost of Transportation in Barcelona

Barcelona offers good transportation options, such as buses and trains, that are fast and reliable. The overall cost of living in Barcelona includes transportation costs. However, the cheapest way to use public transportation is to buy a 10-ride ticket, which costs around EUR 11.35, or a monthly pass, which starts at EUR 30 for 1 zone.

There is also another cheap alternative where you can use a public bicycle for EUR 50 yearly. Lastly, for cabs, you can expect a fair of EUR 6 to 10 for a short ride inside the city.

Cost of Grocery in Barcelona

On average, the total cost of groceries a person’s cost in Barcelona might be around EUR 67, considering each grocery item at a single unit measurement. The grocery costs include the cost of bread, milk, water, vegetables, fruit, and other eatable items. The costs of these groceries in Barcelona are often lower than the overall cost of living in Barcelona.The table below lists the average cost of groceries in Barcelona: 

Grocery Item	Approx Cost
Milk (regular), (1 liter)	EUR 1.07
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)	EUR 1.5
Rice (white), (1kg)	EUR 1.46
Eggs (regular) (12)	EUR 2.81
Apples (1kg)	EUR 2.04
Banana (1kg)	EUR 1.72
Oranges (1kg)	EUR 1.7
Tomato (1kg)	EUR 2.37
Potato (1kg)	EUR 1.59
Onion (1kg)	EUR 1.6
Lettuce (1 head)	EUR 1.07
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	EUR 0.76
meat, egg, drinks and Other items	USD 48

Cost of Food in Barcelona

Now this completely depends on your eating habits as food can cost very differently for each and every individual. A basic lunch in the business district usually costs around EUR 12, whereas a three-course meal for two individuals costs around EUR 40 only if you get it from a mid-range restaurant. You can also get a cappuccino here for EUR 1.70.

Also Read: Cost of Living in Hamburg: A Comprehensive Guide on Hamburg’s Expense

Average Tuition Fees in University of Barcelona

Along with the cost of living in Barcelona, figuring out the average tuition fees in Universities of Barcelona can be a daunting task to any one. The average tuition fees for international students at Barcelona University are around EUR 4,900 per year. However, the range of fees starts from EUR 4,000 to EUR 6,000.

A few prestigious universities in Barcelona are Pompeu Fabra University, Autonomous University of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, EU Business School, TBS Education, and many others. These universities provide advanced programs and innovative learning systems.

Why Study in Barcelona?

Along with affordable cost of living in Barcelona, it is a hub of world best universities, which are well known for its way of teaching, advanced study programs, extra curricular activities and many more. We had highlighted some of the key benefits of studying in Barcelona, take a look at them below:

• The city of best Universities in Spain– According to QS World Rankings, Barcelona is the best city in Spain for higher education, with several prestigious institutions such as TBS Education, ESADE Business School, IESE Business School, etc.

• Startup hub– Barcelona is also one of the leading startup ecosystems in Europe. With more than 2,000 successful startups operating from Barcelona, you can get hands-on experience and get some exposure to these startup cultures and learn some impactful knowledge.

• Foreign investment strategy– Barcelona is also called “The city with the best foreign investment strategy in Europe” according to the fDi magazine as it attracts many foreign countries to set up their business here. This can also be an opportunity for you to complete your education and get employed in one of these companies.

• Quality of life– Last but not least, Barcelona is a city that has a very welcoming nature for international students as well as visitors. You can also enjoy the Mediterranean climate all year as it has an average temperature of 18 ºC,  80% sunny days along with long coastlines and beaches.

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FAQs on Cost of Living in Barcelona

So, this was all about the cost of living in Barcelona. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.