Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Albay Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Albay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $792 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,227 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,662 in Albay.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 193% more expensive than in Albay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Albay is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$3.61 ₱222

389.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$17.94 ₱1,104

288.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$3.34 ₱206

323.95%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.44 ₱150

14.75%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.82 ₱50.5

242.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.36 ₱22.26

472.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$1.30 ₱79.7

253.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$2.17 ₱133

116.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.86 ₱114

-33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.27 ₱78.5

59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.94 ₱58.1

110.64%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.99 ₱123

75.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$7.86 ₱484

133.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$4.18 ₱257

135.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$7.70 ₱474

148.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.93 ₱181

-6.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.52 ₱93.5

56.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.62 ₱161

-20.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.53 ₱94.5

79.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.19 ₱135

-10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.58 ₱159

-30.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.07 ₱65.7

38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.71 ₱44.00

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$2.87 ₱177

148.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$9.26 ₱570

-14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.17 ₱71.8

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.98 ₱122

20.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.28 ₱17.31

975.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.82 ₱50.8

431.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.22 ₱13.51

868.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$2.14 ₱132

1283.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.11 ₱68.1

63.96%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

40.46%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

59.19%

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

$189 €165

$114 ₱6,997

66.33%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$32.47 ₱1,999

-31.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$27.26 ₱1,678

36.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$33.29 ₱2,050

74.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$4.50 ₱277

359.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$5.96 ₱367

82.38%

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

$706 €618

$153 ₱9,436

360.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$4,338 ₱267.1K

242.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$45.01 ₱2,771

98.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$26.31 ₱1,620

39.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$75.3 ₱4,637

38.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$53.0 ₱3,262

125.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$263 ₱16.2K

499.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$178 ₱11.0K

595.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$579 ₱35.6K

368.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$395 ₱24.3K

416.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,503 ₱154.1K

200.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$956 ₱58.8K

448.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$164 ₱10.1K

1340.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Albay: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $263 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1341% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $206 per month, with Albay cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Albay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Albay differ by about 193% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $792 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1341% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $263 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $153 in Albay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $792 in Albay versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Albay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.