Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cabanatuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cabanatuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $530 in Cabanatuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,033 in Cabanatuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,535 in Cabanatuan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 342% more expensive than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Cabanatuan is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$4.52 ₱279

289.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$35.89 ₱2,213

91.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$3.65 ₱225

276.71%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.84 ₱175

-2.82%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.87 ₱53.8

219.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.48 ₱29.81

327.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$1.48 ₱91.6

211.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.62 ₱162

75.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.04 ₱126

-37.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.56 ₱96.4

35.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.93 ₱57.6

111.83%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.06 ₱127

66.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$3.47 ₱214

442.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$3.16 ₱195

199.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$6.77 ₱418

180.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$4.09 ₱252

-33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.21 ₱74.9

95.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.98 ₱122

5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.82 ₱50.6

236.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.42 ₱87.7

38.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.45 ₱89.2

23.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.04 ₱64.4

45.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.84 ₱52.1

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$2.81 ₱173

140.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$5.88 ₱363

28.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$0.74 ₱45.45

94.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.74 ₱108

38.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.26 ₱16.02

1065.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$0.74 ₱45.91

498.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.22 ₱13.54

831.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$0.87 ₱53.8

3271.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.11 ₱68.3

70.27%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$28.0K ₱1.7M

38.31%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

82.08%

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

$189 €161

$57.9 ₱3,571

225.77%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$20.92 ₱1,290

6.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$24.79 ₱1,529

48.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$12.57 ₱775

361.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$2.73 ₱169

668.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$6.96 ₱429

58.76%

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

$726 €622

$152 ₱9,346

379.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$4,231 ₱260.9K

259.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$27.12 ₱1,673

225.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$34.09 ₱2,103

8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$62.6 ₱3,859

63.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$47.71 ₱2,943

149.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$261 ₱16.1K

485.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$44.47 ₱2,743

2639.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$580 ₱35.8K

381.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$395 ₱24.4K

413.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$229 ₱14.1K

2015.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$206 ₱12.7K

1067.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.17

-45.06%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $261 in Cabanatuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1068% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Cabanatuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $175 per month, with Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Cabanatuan differ by about 342% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $530 including rent). Cabanatuan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1068% more on average, 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $261 in Cabanatuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $152 in Cabanatuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cabanatuan – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Cabanatuan versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cabanatuan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 342% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.