Spain · Visit or make it home

Barcelona

Barcelona is a city in Spain. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Barcelona — Evening light over Barcelona

Get to know Barcelona

A sense of the place

Barcelona is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain after Madrid. With a population of 1.7 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the province of Barcelona and is home to around 5.7 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area of the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid, and Milan. It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range. According to tradition, Barcelona was founded by either the Phoenicians or the Carthaginians, who had trading posts along the Catalonian coast. In the Middle Ages, Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona.

Weather through the year

When to visit Barcelona

Temperature

July has the warmest monthly average (24.7°C); January is coolest (7.4°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

October averages about 70 mm of rain, compared with 27 mm in June. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

April, May, September, October combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C7.48.110.813.717.422.124.724.621.017.111.68.1
Rain, mm343243504927284159705431

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Barcelona

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Barcelona

What is the average rent in Barcelona?

754 €/month is the recorded central one-bedroom rent reference for Barcelona, dated 2024. This is a dated comparison measure, rather than a home available today. Check current listings in your chosen neighbourhood, then add utilities, the deposit and commuting to make a budget for your own move.

Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana — SERPAVI (Sistema Estatal de Referencia del Precio del Alquiler de Vivienda), municipal median €/m²/month · Reference date: 2024 · Source-specific public-sector terms; exact reuse licence unverified

Average salary in Barcelona

What is the average salary in Barcelona?

3,574.1 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Spain, not average salary in Barcelona. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Barcelona with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Barcelona, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

The recorded central one-bedroom rent is 754 €/month (2024). Compare it with properties in your chosen neighbourhood.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Barcelona in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Rent starts from the recorded 2024 figure; edit it for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Barcelona at a glance

Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre

754 €/month

Existing-contract median rent

A dated reference for a one-bedroom home in the centre, not a current listing. Compare actual properties, deposits, utilities and neighbourhoods before setting your budget.

Data period: 2024. Source: Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana — SERPAVI (Sistema Estatal de Referencia del Precio del Alquiler de Vivienda), municipal median €/m²/month · Source-specific public-sector terms; exact reuse licence unverifiedCompare with another city →

Spain: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Barcelona. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 12 national indicators

Other places to compare in Spain

Compare Barcelona with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

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