The Real Cost of Living in Barcelona: Is It as Expensive as They Say?

I have been living in Barcelona for 3 years now so I know full well how much it costs to live in Barcelona.

If you’re thinking about moving to Barcelona and wondering if your wallet can handle it, good news—Barcelona can be surprisingly affordable if you know how to budget, but it also has its expensive sides. Let’s break down the real cost of living in this vibrant, sunny city.

If you’re more of a visual learner, check out my YouTube video where I talked about EXACTLY what it costs to live in this city.

Rent: The Biggest Expense

Let’s be real—housing is the most challenging (and expensive) part of living in Barcelona. Because of the housing crisis, the demand has gone up, and landlords know it. Here’s what you can expect:

• City center (Eixample, Gràcia, El Born, etc.) – €1,200–€2,000 for a 1-2 bedroom apartment
• Outside the center (Sant Andreu, Badalona, L’Hospitalet, etc.) – €800–€1,200
• Room in a shared flat – €400–€800

In my case, I live with my partner in a 2-bedroom apartment located in a residential area, 15 minutes by bus from the city center. The room also has an extra room which I turned into a home office, and the 2nd bedroom is normally for visitors. For our monthly rent, we pay €1200 + utilities.

Pro tip: Finding an apartment is tough due to high demand, so be prepared to move fast, have your documents ready, and maybe even offer a few months’ rent upfront to secure a place.

Transportation: Cheap and Efficient

Barcelona’s public transport system is excellent and affordable compared to other European cities.

• T-usual card (unlimited monthly pass) – €22
• T-casual card (10 rides) – €12.55
• Single metro/bus ride – €2.65

If you prefer biking, Bicing (Barcelona’s public bike system) is a great option for around €50/year.

We always buy the T-usual card because it’s the cheapest option especially if you use it everyday, and it’s also valid to use in the metro line that goes to the airport (line L9).

Food: Eat Like a Local

Dining out in Barcelona can range from super cheap to ridiculously expensive, depending on where you go.

• Groceries (for 2 persons) – €350-€450 per month
• Menu del día (3-course lunch at local restaurants) – €12–€15
• Casual dinner at a restaurant – €50 for 2 people
• Fancy dinner out – €100-€120 for 2. We once ate at a fancy Japanese restaurant and it cost us €200. In Asian restaurants, we normally pay €30-€35 for 2. About tipping, it’s appreciated but not obligatory.

We once splurged at a high-end Japanese restaurant (Sato i Tanaka) and paid €200 for our meal, but normally we spend around €35 for two at our favorite Asian spots (Cobab and Thai Corner) and around €50 for local Spanish restaurants. We pay more for Spanish restaurants because we normally order pulpo de gallega or solomillo de ternera (Spanish steak version).

Insider tip: Skip touristy restaurants and always go for restaurants 5 blocks from any touristic area. Once you do that, you will see how the prices drop and the quality goes up dramatically. We have restaurants near our home that we frequent and we hope they don’t get crowded with tourists.

Utilities & Internet: Reasonable

Utilities in Barcelona are reasonable but can get pricey in summer (hello, air conditioning bills!).

• Electricity, water, gas (for a 2-bedroom apartment) – €80–€150 per month
• Internet (fiber-optic, high-speed) – €30–€50 per month
• Mobile phone plan – €10 per month (with 60GB data and unlimited calls locally)

Many Spanish apartments don’t have central heating, so expect higher electricity bills in winter if you use space heaters.

Entertainment & Lifestyle: Plenty to Do on Any Budget

Barcelona is full of affordable (and free) things to do, but here’s what to expect for paid activities:

• Concert tickets – €20–€60 (sometimes even cheaper!)
• Gym membership – €30–€60 per month. We pay €65 per person for our monthly gym membership at SorliSport. We don’t mind paying premium for the gym because it’s new, has a lot of group activities that we can join like boxing and crossfit, and it’s walking distance to our apartment.
• Movie ticket – €9–€12 (insider tip: watch on a Wednesday when you can buy movie tickets at €6)
• Drinks at a bar – €3 for a beer, €6–€12 for a cocktail
• Clubbing entrance – €10–€20 (sometimes free before 1 AM!)

The best part? Many of Barcelona’s top attractions are FREE. The beaches, parks, hiking trails, and even museums on the first Sunday of each month won’t cost you a cent! You can get inside Picasso museum for FREE every Thursdays, 5pm onwards.

To give you an idea, here’s our average monthly costs for 2 persons living in Barcelona:

• Rent (2-bedroom, 75sqm, close to city center) – €1,200
• Utilities & internet – €150-€200
• Groceries – €450
• Public transport – €44 (that’s €22 each for the T-usual card)
• Mobile – €20
• Eating out & entertainment – €500
• Gym membership – €130
• Miscellaneous expenses – €300

Estimated total: ~€2,800 per month (€1,400/person)

When I was in Manila, my average monthly expenses was ₱50,000 (€800 approx). I was living alone in a 25sqm 1-bedroom condominium in Ortigas/Pasig area. As you can see, my monthly expenses almost doubled since I moved here.

How am I able to afford it? Believe it or not, my income also increased over the years. Frankly speaking, I wouldn’t earn the income I’m earning now if I’m still living in the Philippines, and I will write about it in a different post so stay tuned!

So, is Barcelona affordable?

Barcelona isn’t cheap, but it’s not crazy expensive either. It’s all about lifestyle choices—if you eat out every night and live in the city center, it’ll add up fast. But if you live like a local, use public transport, and explore the city’s free attractions, Barcelona can be quite affordable.

Would you move to Barcelona? Or are you already living here? Drop a comment and let’s chat about it!