Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Elmina Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Elmina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $532 in Elmina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $903 in Elmina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,274 in Elmina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 345% more expensive than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Elmina is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$4.31 GHS 50.7

307.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$47.20 GHS 554

45.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$7.91 GHS 92.9

77.75%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$3.49 GHS 40.97

-20.34%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.93 GHS 10.87

201.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.34 GHS 4.05

505.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.56 GHS 18.37

185.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$2.56 GHS 30.01

80.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$3.45 GHS 40.52

-64.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.43 GHS 16.81

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.35 GHS 27.59

-18.30%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.30 GHS 26.98

43.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$11.32 GHS 133

62.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$4.79 GHS 56.2

98.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$6.00 GHS 70.5

219.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.89 GHS 33.93

-8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.43 GHS 16.81

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.69 GHS 19.83

25.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.19 GHS 37.48

-10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.10 GHS 36.34

-34.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.43 GHS 28.55

-23.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.77 GHS 9.00

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.51 GHS 6.03

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$1.59 GHS 18.62

349.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$7.05 GHS 82.8

11.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.12 GHS 13.16

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.93 GHS 22.68

19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$1.55 GHS 18.18

196.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.21 GHS 14.18

71.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$5.40 GHS 63.3

440.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.07 GHS 12.59

71.96%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

397.42%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

245.71%

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

$188 €162

$54.7 GHS 642

243.68%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$13.44 GHS 158

70.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$37.50 GHS 440

-2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$9.70 GHS 114

15.36%

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

$721 €620

$73.4 GHS 861

882.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

87.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$14.53 GHS 171

493.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$18.52 GHS 217

100.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$29.62 GHS 348

244.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$40.75 GHS 478

184.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

25.4

-86.65%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Elmina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $47.00 in Elmina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $236 per month, with Elmina 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Elmina differ by about 345% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $532 including rent). Elmina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $798 in Elmina 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 $721 in Barcelona versus $73.4 in Elmina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elmina – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Elmina versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elmina but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Elmina 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 Elmina 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 Elmina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 345% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.