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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $526 in Elmina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $905 in Elmina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,284 in Elmina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 341% more expensive than in Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Elmina is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$4.45 GHS 51.4

296.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$48.28 GHS 557

44.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$7.79 GHS 89.9

81.77%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.54 GHS 40.91

-20.90%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.92 GHS 10.67

205.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.34 GHS 3.96

505.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.58 GHS 18.18

191.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.48 GHS 28.58

89.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$3.47 GHS 40.05

-64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.45 GHS 16.79

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.37 GHS 27.31

-16.46%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.40 GHS 27.68

45.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$11.04 GHS 127

66.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.54 GHS 52.4

116.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$5.82 GHS 67.2

228.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.91 GHS 33.59

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.40 GHS 16.11

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.71 GHS 19.68

21.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.21 GHS 36.99

-14.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$3.00 GHS 34.61

-34.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.44 GHS 28.12

-26.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.75 GHS 8.68

97.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.49 GHS 5.60

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$1.65 GHS 19.04

332.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$7.42 GHS 85.7

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.11 GHS 12.84

24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.96 GHS 22.62

21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.62 GHS 18.64

169.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.17 GHS 13.53

82.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$5.48 GHS 63.2

440.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.09 GHS 12.58

66.97%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$8,156 GHS 94.1K

364.54%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$9,546 GHS 110.2K

239.20%

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

$189 €166

$56.5 GHS 651

234.86%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$13.33 GHS 154

67.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$38.32 GHS 442

-3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$9.92 GHS 114

9.58%

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

$706 €618

$71.4 GHS 824

888.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$7,919 GHS 91.4K

87.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$14.66 GHS 169

510.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$19.23 GHS 222

90.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$28.80 GHS 332

261.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$41.81 GHS 483

185.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $48.00 in Elmina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $234 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 341% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $526 including rent). Elmina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,480 in Barcelona and $789 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 $706 in Barcelona versus $71.4 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 $48.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $526 in Elmina versus $2,320 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 341% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.