Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jimma Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jimma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,022 in Jimma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,412 in Jimma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,802 in Jimma.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 127% more expensive than in Jimma, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Jimma is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$4.71 ETB 746

274.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.13 ETB 178

147.79%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.60 ETB 94.9

368.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.48 ETB 75.5

329.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.22 ETB 193

277.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$1.48 ETB 235

216.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.18 ETB 187

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.40 ETB 63.0

407.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.15 ETB 182

72.17%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$4.23 ETB 671

-17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$11.41 ETB 1,808

-13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$11.53 ETB 1,828

65.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.38 ETB 377

14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.15 ETB 182

106.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.39 ETB 537

-38.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.59 ETB 93.7

366.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.59 ETB 94.1

232.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$3.44 ETB 545

-47.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.55 ETB 87.5

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$6.94 ETB 1,101

13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.14 ETB 180

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.42 ETB 225

68.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.24 ETB 38.25

1154.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$13.72 ETB 2,174

113.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$1.72 ETB 272

1620.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.69 ETB 269

7.69%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$53.1K ETB 8.4M

-28.65%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$56.9K ETB 9.0M

-43.11%

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

$189 €166

$63.4 ETB 10.1K

197.97%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$15.13 ETB 2,398

47.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$310 ETB 49.1K

-88.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$34.16 ETB 5,415

69.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

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

$706 €618

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$91.7 ETB 14.5K

-60.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$137 ETB 21.7K

-23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$115 ETB 18.2K

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$210 ETB 33.3K

650.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$162 ETB 25.7K

662.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$419 ETB 66.4K

547.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$325 ETB 51.4K

528.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$2,320 ETB 367.7K

224.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$1,144 ETB 181.3K

358.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$224 ETB 35.5K

954.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-62.33%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jimma: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $210 in Jimma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 954% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Jimma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Jimma differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,022 including rent). Jimma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 954% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $210 in Jimma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jimma runs roughly 114% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $1,022 in Jimma – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,022 in Jimma versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jimma but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Jimma 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 Jimma 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 Jimma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.