Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $4,692 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $6,952 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $9,211 in George Town.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 50% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, George Town 253% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.96

$30.56 KYD 25.06

-43.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.3

$145 KYD 119

-53.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.89

$15.76 KYD 12.93

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.42

$6.69 KYD 5.49

-58.45%

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

$2.82 €2.46

$3.46 KYD 2.84

-18.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.63 KYD 2.16

-25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.86

$8.81 KYD 7.23

-49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.01

$8.60 KYD 7.05

-46.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.95 KYD 2.42

-56.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.86

$5.34 KYD 4.38

-60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$5.71 KYD 4.68

-65.15%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.93

$10.02 KYD 8.21

-66.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.53

$11.90 KYD 9.76

59.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.31

$16.16 KYD 13.25

-41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.33

$16.52 KYD 13.54

13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$10.61 KYD 8.70

-75.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.50 KYD 3.69

-47.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$7.86 KYD 6.45

-73.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$7.72 KYD 6.33

-64.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$5.47 KYD 4.48

-64.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.58

$5.61 KYD 4.60

-67.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$6.18 KYD 5.06

-75.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$2.92 KYD 2.40

-69.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.91

$14.21 KYD 11.65

-52.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.90

$25.13 KYD 20.61

-68.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$3.92 KYD 3.22

-65.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$5.41 KYD 4.43

-55.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.54

$2.46 KYD 2.02

18.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.98

$29.60 KYD 24.28

-3.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.99

$18.00 KYD 14.76

-74.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.78

$5.01 KYD 4.11

-59.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €25.03

$60.9 KYD 49.93

-52.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.68 KYD 1.38

8.33%

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

$39.3K €34.3K

$39.1K KYD 32.1K

0.49%

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

$32.5K €28.3K

$34.7K KYD 28.5K

-6.53%

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

$187 €163

$395 KYD 324

-52.74%

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

$22.29 €19.43

$99.2 KYD 81.4

-77.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.71

$109 KYD 89.2

-66.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €50.2

$105 KYD 86.1

-45.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.08

$40.49 KYD 33.20

-48.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.39

$18.35 KYD 15.05

-41.31%

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

$725 €632

$1,747 KYD 1,432

-58.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

$25.1K KYD 20.5K

-39.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.6

$91.0 KYD 74.6

-3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €32.09

$70.0 KYD 57.4

-47.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.2

$149 KYD 122

-30.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$149 KYD 122

-20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,328

$2,843 KYD 2,331

-46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,070

$2,538 KYD 2,081

-51.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,378

$5,627 KYD 4,614

-51.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,730

$4,528 KYD 3,713

-56.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,511

$8,882 KYD 7,283

-15.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,571

$2,277 KYD 1,868

130.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,086

$7,142 KYD 5,856

-66.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

8.25

-58.91%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $2,843 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 199% 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 $145 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $630 per month, with Barcelona 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and George Town differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $4,692 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 199% lower in George Town. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $2,843 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $1,747 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in George Town. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,359 in Barcelona versus $4,692 in George Town, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 George Town 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.