Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Barcelona
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Barcelona Living Index

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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Barcelona

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,453

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahir Dar and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bahir Dar and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $374 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,453 in Barcelona, rent included.

Bahir Dar $374
Barcelona $2,453

A couple spends around $568 per month in Bahir Dar vs $3,509 in Barcelona, rent included.

Bahir Dar $568
Barcelona $3,509

A family of three spends $763 per month in Bahir Dar vs $4,564 in Barcelona, rent included.

Bahir Dar $763
Barcelona $4,564

Bahir Dar is about 85% cheaper than Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bahir Dar sits 73% below the global median, while Barcelona is 80% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 ETB 552

$17.59 €15.75

-80.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €60.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.53 €12.12

Cappuccino

$1.02 ETB 164

$3.19 €2.86

-68.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ETB 66.7

$2.91 €2.61

-85.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ETB 78.0

$1.89 €1.70

-74.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ETB 116

$4.01 €3.59

-82.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ETB 315

$4.53 €4.06

-56.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.31 €1.17

-25.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ETB 164

$2.02 €1.81

-49.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ETB 163

$1.85 €1.66

-45.41%

Eggs

$1.77 ETB 285

$4.83 €4.33

-63.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.74 €14.99

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €8.17

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 ETB 1,619

$19.64 €17.59

-48.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ETB 488

$2.98 €2.67

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 157

$2.02 €1.81

-51.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ETB 327

$2.70 €2.42

-24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 ETB 127

$2.80 €2.51

-71.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ETB 99.6

$2.09 €1.87

-70.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ETB 190

$2.07 €1.85

-43.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.46 €1.31

-30.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.8

$0.94 €0.84

-45.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 €6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$4.03 ETB 649

$7.89 €7.06

-48.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ETB 125

$1.41 €1.26

-45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ETB 313

$2.54 €2.27

-23.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.45 €22.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 €2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 77.3

$1.49 €1.34

-67.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 316

$33.37 €29.89

-94.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.80 €1.61

-43.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.2K €29.7K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.7K €28.4K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$101 ETB 16.2K

$180 €162

-44.12%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.15 ETB 1,634

$13.84 €12.39

-26.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.70 €30.18

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ETB 8,184

$51.5 €46.13

-1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.5 ETB 9,728

$15.96 €14.29

278.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ETB 981

$10.99 €9.85

-44.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$49.48 ETB 7,962

$917 €821

-94.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.10 ETB 7,900

$87.0 €77.9

-43.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 €34.49

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €94.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 €1,522

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 €1,214

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 €2,331

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 €1,847

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,039 ETB 328.1K

$6,915 €6,193

-70.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ETB 241.7K

$5,128 €4,592

-70.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.1K

$2,211 €1,980

-90.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$1.4K 55.3%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$322 13.1%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$268 10.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$228 9.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$158 6.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$74 3%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Barcelona

$48 2%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Barcelona are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇪🇸 Barcelona

🕒 Local time

13:21 1:21 PM

11:21 11:21 AM

2 h behind Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

1,660,122

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Barcelona 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bahir Dar vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 556% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $561 per month in Bahir Dar and $3,679 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $374 in Bahir Dar and $2,453 in Barcelona. That makes Bahir Dar about 85% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Barcelona, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Barcelona at $2,453. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $2,453 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.