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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $522 in Cabanatuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,035 in Cabanatuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,548 in Cabanatuan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 352% more expensive than in Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Cabanatuan is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$4.51 ₱276

280.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$35.99 ₱2,203

89.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$3.47 ₱212

293.08%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.84 ₱174

-2.11%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.85 ₱52.1

231.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.45 ₱27.33

335.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.48 ₱90.3

199.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.64 ₱162

74.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.06 ₱126

-38.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.56 ₱95.3

36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.99 ₱60.6

101.01%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.99 ₱122

69.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$3.54 ₱216

435.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$3.17 ₱194

200.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$6.74 ₱413

177.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$4.19 ₱256

-36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.26 ₱77.3

86.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.96 ₱120

6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.82 ₱50.4

232.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.48 ₱90.6

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.46 ₱89.4

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.04 ₱63.6

45.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.82 ₱50.3

8.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.79 ₱171

143.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$5.64 ₱345

40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.69 ₱41.96

98.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.73 ₱106

38.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.28 ₱17.23

939.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.70 ₱42.78

554.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.24 ₱14.73

750.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$0.93 ₱57.1

2988.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.16 ₱71.1

56.90%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

39.74%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$18.1K ₱1.1M

79.70%

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

$187 €162

$58.1 ₱3,559

221.00%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$20.86 ₱1,277

6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$24.85 ₱1,521

46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$12.25 ₱750

369.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$4.35 ₱266

376.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$6.83 ₱418

57.69%

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

$725 €628

$152 ₱9,280

378.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$4,350 ₱266.3K

248.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$26.14 ₱1,600

236.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$34.55 ₱2,115

6.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$61.0 ₱3,735

69.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$47.20 ₱2,889

151.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$268 ₱16.4K

468.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$44.11 ₱2,700

2681.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$599 ₱36.7K

355.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$401 ₱24.5K

394.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$2,193 ₱134.2K

240.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$967 ₱59.2K

442.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$206 ₱12.6K

1063.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $268 in Cabanatuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1064% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Cabanatuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 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 352% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $522 including rent). Cabanatuan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1064% 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $268 in Cabanatuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $522 in Cabanatuan versus $2,359 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 352% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.