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: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $538 in Cabanatuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,049 in Cabanatuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,559 in Cabanatuan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 346% more expensive than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Cabanatuan is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$4.45 ₱268

297.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$35.27 ₱2,124

98.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$3.57 ₱215

282.63%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$2.98 ₱179

-8.05%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.88 ₱53.0

217.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.48 ₱29.06

308.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.43 ₱86.0

204.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.70 ₱163

69.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.06 ₱124

-37.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.55 ₱93.1

32.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.92 ₱55.4

115.22%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.02 ₱122

67.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$3.63 ₱219

413.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$3.11 ₱187

207.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$6.59 ₱397

185.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$4.07 ₱245

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.22 ₱73.6

102.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.93 ₱116

8.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$0.77 ₱46.50

266.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.48 ₱89.0

36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.38 ₱83.2

34.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.09 ₱65.6

38.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.84 ₱50.4

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$2.89 ₱174

144.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$5.81 ₱350

37.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.74 ₱44.48

93.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.74 ₱105

31.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.28 ₱17.05

928.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$0.73 ₱43.72

500.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.24 ₱14.52

791.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$0.92 ₱55.4

3068.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.16 ₱70.0

60.34%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

38.71%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$18.0K ₱1.1M

82.16%

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

$189 €163

$57.3 ₱3,449

230.25%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$20.87 ₱1,257

8.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$25.00 ₱1,506

46.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$12.17 ₱733

373.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$2.63 ₱159

712.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$6.82 ₱411

58.50%

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

$726 €625

$151 ₱9,104

380.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$4,292 ₱258.5K

251.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$26.33 ₱1,586

232.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$34.39 ₱2,071

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$61.5 ₱3,704

68.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$47.65 ₱2,870

144.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$267 ₱16.1K

488.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$44.21 ₱2,663

2659.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$596 ₱35.9K

354.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$402 ₱24.2K

388.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$229 ₱13.8K

2201.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$208 ₱12.5K

1041.73%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $267 in Cabanatuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1042% 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $174 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 346% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $538 including rent). Cabanatuan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1042% 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $267 in Cabanatuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $151 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 $35.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Cabanatuan versus $2,399 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 346% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.