Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $453 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $752 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,051 in Machakos.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 416% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Machakos is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

$2.34 KES 303

652.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

$38.88 KES 5,024

76.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

$6.85 KES 885

100.73%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$1.99 KES 257

38.69%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.74 KES 95.8

275.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.50 KES 65.0

310.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

$1.91 KES 247

141.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

$2.70 KES 349

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$0.38 KES 48.77

236.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

$0.45 KES 57.9

368.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.81 KES 104

143.21%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

$1.35 KES 175

154.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

$11.65 KES 1,506

61.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

$6.69 KES 865

41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

$4.57 KES 591

315.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

$1.53 KES 198

77.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.73 KES 94.7

224.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$0.41 KES 52.5

407.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.37 KES 48.44

645.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.78 KES 101

152.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.75 KES 97.5

138.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.65 KES 84.1

132.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.41 KES 52.9

119.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

$3.01 KES 389

124.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

$11.72 KES 1,514

-35.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.98 KES 255

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.73 KES 353

-11.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$0.75 KES 97.2

490.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.80 KES 104

156.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

$2.97 KES 384

887.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.45 KES 187

30.34%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

76.53%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

60.33%

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

$189 €161

$33.86 KES 4,375

456.97%

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

$22.21 €18.96

$7.93 KES 1,024

180.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

$11.71 KES 1,513

214.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

$6.05 KES 782

82.64%

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

$726 €620

$45.51 KES 5,881

1496.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$8,077 KES 1.0M

88.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

$11.55 KES 1,493

664.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

$24.37 KES 3,149

51.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

$66.4 KES 8,581

54.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$38.37 KES 4,958

210.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

$92.4 KES 11.9K

1552.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

$69.9 KES 9,032

1642.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

$154 KES 19.9K

1718.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

$115 KES 14.8K

1666.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

$389 KES 50.3K

518.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

14.84

-77.16%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $92.4 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 518% 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 $39.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $165 per month, with Machakos 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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Machakos differ by about 416% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $453 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 518% 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 $92.4 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $45.51 in Machakos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Machakos – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Machakos versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos 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 Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 416% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.