Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Chilanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Chilanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $648 in Chilanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $962 in Chilanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,275 in Chilanga.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 264% more expensive than in Chilanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Chilanga is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$7.18 ZMW 134

138.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$24.89 ZMW 464

173.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$3.68 ZMW 68.6

270.65%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.02 ZMW 37.77

37.62%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.73 ZMW 13.53

286.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.37 ZMW 6.81

429.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$0.95 ZMW 17.74

366.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$1.75 ZMW 32.57

163.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.32 ZMW 24.69

-3.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.75 ZMW 14.01

184.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.60 ZMW 29.93

24.37%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.86 ZMW 34.75

81.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$7.89 ZMW 147

140.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$3.92 ZMW 73.0

143.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$4.70 ZMW 87.6

298.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.60 ZMW 48.56

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.65 ZMW 30.79

42.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.78 ZMW 51.9

-24.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.12 ZMW 20.80

143.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.89 ZMW 35.20

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.37 ZMW 25.49

32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.86 ZMW 15.95

75.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.48 ZMW 9.04

85.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.46 ZMW 45.93

175.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$10.74 ZMW 200

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.10 ZMW 20.44

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.57 ZMW 29.21

52.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$2.78 ZMW 51.8

64.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$9.39 ZMW 175

205.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.19 ZMW 22.27

52.94%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$8,103 ZMW 151.1K

385.21%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$28.6K ZMW 532.6K

13.71%

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

$187 €162

$92.1 ZMW 1,718

102.59%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$51.8 ZMW 967

-56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$126 ZMW 2,358

-71.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$4.09 ZMW 76.3

163.33%

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

$725 €628

$180 ZMW 3,359

302.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$9,425 ZMW 175.8K

60.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$19.30 ZMW 360

355.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$16.72 ZMW 312

120.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$84.6 ZMW 1,577

22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$74.4 ZMW 1,387

59.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-86.44%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Chilanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $179 per month, with Chilanga 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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Chilanga differ by about 264% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $648 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $972 in Chilanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $180 in Chilanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $648 in Chilanga versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga 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 Chilanga 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 Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 264% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.