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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,034 in Jimma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,424 in Jimma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,814 in Jimma.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 129% more expensive than Jimma, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Jimma is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$4.51 ETB 710

289.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$1.18 ETB 187

135.59%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.57 ETB 89.1

391.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.48 ETB 75.8

329.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.20 ETB 189

271.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$1.48 ETB 233

211.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.19 ETB 187

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$0.37 ETB 57.7

448.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.13 ETB 179

69.91%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.15 ETB 655

-20.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$11.48 ETB 1,810

-17.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$11.72 ETB 1,847

63.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.25 ETB 354

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.18 ETB 186

107.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$3.43 ETB 540

-38.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.61 ETB 95.5

367.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.55 ETB 86.8

270.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$3.37 ETB 531

-45.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 ETB 88.0

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$7.07 ETB 1,114

11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.14 ETB 179

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.47 ETB 231

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$0.22 ETB 34.51

1254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$13.79 ETB 2,173

112.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$1.75 ETB 276

1567.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.78 ETB 280

3.37%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$52.9K ETB 8.3M

-26.20%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$57.5K ETB 9.1M

-43.13%

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

$188 €162

$62.7 ETB 9,877

199.70%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$15.52 ETB 2,445

47.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$315 ETB 49.6K

-88.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$34.69 ETB 5,467

65.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

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

$721 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$91.6 ETB 14.4K

-59.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$140 ETB 22.1K

-27.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$118 ETB 18.5K

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$218 ETB 34.3K

604.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$162 ETB 25.5K

655.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$432 ETB 68.1K

524.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$321 ETB 50.6K

527.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$2,286 ETB 360.3K

215.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$1,186 ETB 186.9K

337.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$229 ETB 36.1K

930.61%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jimma: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $218 in Jimma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 931% 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 129% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,034 including rent). Jimma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 931% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $218 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 112% 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 $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $1,034 in Jimma – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Jimma versus $2,367 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 129% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.