Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,506 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,680 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,854 in Hulhumale.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 56% more expensive than Hulhumale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Hulhumale 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$5.41 MVR 83.6

225.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$28.88 MVR 446

137.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$9.97 MVR 154

37.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 MVR 70.7

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MVR 57.8

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$2.84 MVR 43.93

-2.82%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.33 MVR 20.51

109.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.25 MVR 3.86

720.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.78 MVR 27.45

-28.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.55 MVR 23.92

36.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.33 MVR 5.17

496.97%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.54 MVR 23.87

123.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$8.01 MVR 124

135.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$6.05 MVR 93.5

56.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$8.63 MVR 133

120.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$3.98 MVR 61.5

-31.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$3.71 MVR 57.3

-36.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$4.21 MVR 65.1

-50.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$3.24 MVR 50.0

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.52 MVR 23.44

29.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.23 MVR 19.08

45.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$3.06 MVR 47.31

-50.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.50 MVR 7.68

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.80 MVR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$7.92 MVR 122

-14.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.00 MVR 30.98

121.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.94 MVR 29.93

5.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$9.98 MVR 154

193.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.91 MVR 14.12

107.69%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$32.6K MVR 503.7K

18.82%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$34.0K MVR 525.9K

-4.93%

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

$189 €161

$108 MVR 1,670

74.49%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$40.96 MVR 633

-45.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$41.62 MVR 643

-11.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$65.7 MVR 1,015

-11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$9.89 MVR 153

11.73%

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

$726 €622

$165 MVR 2,553

339.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$3,595 MVR 55.5K

323.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$44.10 MVR 681

100.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$56.9 MVR 879

-35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$90.7 MVR 1,401

13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$53.3 MVR 824

123.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$1,279 MVR 19.8K

19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$774 MVR 12.0K

57.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$2,878 MVR 44.5K

-2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$2,292 MVR 35.4K

-11.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$5,375 MVR 83.0K

31.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$494 MVR 7,632

881.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$709 MVR 10.9K

239.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

12.4

-72.66%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 239% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $29.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $221 per month, with Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hulhumale differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,506 including rent). Hulhumale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 239% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $165 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hulhumale – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,506 in Hulhumale versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hulhumale but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.