Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bahir Dar

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.

117

Cost of Living Index in Barcelona
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Barcelona Living Index

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Barcelona

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,453

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Barcelona $2,453
Bahir Dar $374

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

Barcelona $3,509
Bahir Dar $568

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

Barcelona $4,564
Bahir Dar $763

Barcelona costs about 556% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.76

$3.43 ETB 552

412.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €60.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.53 €12.12

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.86

$1.02 ETB 164

212.75%

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

$2.91 €2.61

$0.41 ETB 66.7

609.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.70

$0.48 ETB 78.0

293.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 €3.59

$0.72 ETB 116

456.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €4.06

$1.96 ETB 315

131.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.17

$0.98 ETB 157

33.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.81

$1.02 ETB 164

98.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 €1.66

$1.01 ETB 163

83.17%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.33

$1.77 ETB 285

172.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.74 €15.00

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 €8.17

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.64 €17.60

$10.06 ETB 1,619

95.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 €2.67

$3.04 ETB 488

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.81

$0.97 ETB 157

108.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 €2.42

$2.03 ETB 327

33.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 €2.51

$0.79 ETB 127

254.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.87

$0.62 ETB 99.6

237.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.85

$1.18 ETB 190

75.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.31

$1.02 ETB 164

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.84

$0.51 ETB 82.8

84.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 €6.16

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 €7.07

$4.03 ETB 649

95.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.26

$0.77 ETB 125

83.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.27

$1.94 ETB 313

30.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.45 €22.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 €2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 €1.34

$0.48 ETB 77.3

210.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.37 €29.91

$1.97 ETB 316

1593.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.61

$1.02 ETB 164

76.47%

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)

$180 €162

$101 ETB 16.2K

78.96%

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

$13.84 €12.40

$10.15 ETB 1,634

36.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.70 €30.20

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 €46.16

$50.9 ETB 8,184

1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 €14.30

$60.5 ETB 9,728

-73.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 €9.85

$6.10 ETB 981

80.16%

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

$917 €821

$49.48 ETB 7,962

1752.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.0 €78.0

$49.10 ETB 7,900

77.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 €34.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €94.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 €1,523

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 €1,214

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 €2,332

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 €1,848

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,915 €6,196

$2,039 ETB 328.1K

239.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,128 €4,595

$1,502 ETB 241.7K

241.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,211 €1,981

$200 ETB 32.1K

1006.95%

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 Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Barcelona

$1.4K 55.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Barcelona

$322 13.1%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Barcelona

$268 10.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barcelona

$228 9.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Barcelona

$158 6.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Barcelona

$74 3%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Barcelona

$48 2%

Bahir Dar

–

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know

🇪🇸 Barcelona

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

08:04 8:04 AM

10:04 10:04 AM

2 h ahead of Barcelona

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,660,122

350,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

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

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).

USD to EUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Barcelona
Bahir Dar

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

Barcelona vs Bahir Dar: 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 $3,679 per month in Barcelona and $561 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $374 in Bahir Dar. 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.