Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahdia Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahdia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $573 in Mahdia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $873 in Mahdia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,174 in Mahdia.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 305% more expensive than in Mahdia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Mahdia is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$2.47 TND 7.24

614.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$20.41 TND 59.7

241.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$3.40 TND 9.96

316.47%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$0.78 TND 2.27

258.97%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.57 TND 1.67

392.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.22 TND 0.63

836.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.00 TND 2.93

360.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$1.56 TND 4.57

200.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.44 TND 1.27

179.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.20 TND 0.57

915.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.56 TND 4.56

26.92%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.60 TND 4.68

118.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$11.46 TND 33.52

59.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$5.62 TND 16.44

74.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$13.74 TND 40.19

39.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.18 TND 6.37

25.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.82 TND 8.26

-15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.04 TND 3.04

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.69 TND 2.02

298.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.70 TND 2.04

180.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.33 TND 0.96

442.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.35 TND 1.03

322.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.31 TND 0.90

193.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$3.47 TND 10.16

105.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$3.34 TND 9.78

135.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.10 TND 3.21

25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.10 TND 3.21

117.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.33 TND 0.95

812.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$10.09 TND 29.53

190.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.32 TND 0.95

1262.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.24 TND 0.70

787.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$7.25 TND 21.22

308.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.77 TND 2.25

136.36%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$35.5K TND 103.7K

6.86%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$34.6K TND 101.2K

-6.35%

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

$189 €166

$46.47 TND 136

306.78%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$9.40 TND 27.51

137.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$14.59 TND 42.68

154.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$21.16 TND 61.9

174.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$7.61 TND 22.26

171.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$4.54 TND 13.27

139.43%

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

$706 €618

$110 TND 320

544.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$997 TND 2,919

1390.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$45.44 TND 133

96.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$34.20 TND 100

7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$101 TND 295

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$23.50 TND 68.8

408.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$144 TND 422

993.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$133 TND 390

829.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$288 TND 843

841.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$158 TND 462

1191.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$672 TND 1,967

1019.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$206 TND 602

2444.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$238 TND 696

894.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

13.6

-75.07%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $144 in Mahdia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 894% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $20.00 in Mahdia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $180 per month, with Mahdia 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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mahdia differ by about 305% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $573 including rent). Mahdia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 894% 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 $144 in Mahdia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $110 in Mahdia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $573 in Mahdia versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahdia but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mahdia 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 Mahdia 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 Mahdia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 305% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.