Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $640 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Makassar, Indonesia
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Makassar
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Makassar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $640 in Makassar.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Makassar $640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $989 in Makassar.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Makassar $989

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $1,338 in Makassar.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Makassar $1,338

Living in Barcelona is roughly 283% more expensive than in Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Makassar is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.71
$1.61 Rp 29.2K
992.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.3
$9.07 Rp 164.8K
644.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.08
$3.09 Rp 56.2K
337.86%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.85
$1.98 Rp 36.0K
61.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.60
$0.49 Rp 8,981
493.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.69
$0.33 Rp 5,947
472.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.58
$2.54 Rp 46.2K
57.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.05
$3.18 Rp 57.8K
42.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.56 Rp 28.3K
-16.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
98.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.65
$0.57 Rp 10.4K
224.56%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.32
$1.50 Rp 27.3K
222.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €14.95
$6.43 Rp 116.8K
160.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.14
$3.48 Rp 63.2K
162.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.54
$5.38 Rp 97.8K
265.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.66
$2.35 Rp 42.7K
26.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
48.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.41
$1.88 Rp 34.2K
43.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
133.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.26 Rp 22.9K
65.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.48 Rp 27.0K
39.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
92.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.41 Rp 7,416
129.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.14
$2.71 Rp 49.2K
153.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.04
$22.04 Rp 400.2K
-64.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.79 Rp 32.5K
-21.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.26
$2.93 Rp 53.2K
-13.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.81
$0.29 Rp 5,304
982.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.73
$11.90 Rp 216.0K
113.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.67
$0.49 Rp 8,832
510.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$0.34 Rp 6,238
338.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.81
$2.81 Rp 51.0K
1087.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
133.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$22.9K Rp 415.9M
44.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.3K
$32.4K Rp 588.5M
-2.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €161
$89.6 Rp 1.6M
101.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.36
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
428.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.10
$24.31 Rp 441.5K
38.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.01
$21.48 Rp 390.0K
139.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.26
$8.36 Rp 151.9K
90.91%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.82
$3.36 Rp 61.0K
227.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €819
$91.7 Rp 1.7M
899.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.7K
$3,715 Rp 67.5M
343.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €77.7
$27.01 Rp 490.6K
222.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.39
$22.77 Rp 413.6K
69.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.5
$74.5 Rp 1.4M
42.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$39.35 Rp 714.6K
204.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,518
$225 Rp 4.1M
654.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,211
$144 Rp 2.6M
842.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,325
$553 Rp 10.0M
370.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,842
$363 Rp 6.6M
468.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,176
$1,146 Rp 20.8M
503.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,580
$795 Rp 14.4M
545.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Makassar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,975
$211 Rp 3.8M
946.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
9.46
-65.33%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Makassar
$144 89.4% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Makassar
$194 39.7% $128
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Makassar
$68 74.5% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Makassar
$116 48.9% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Makassar
$74 53.4% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Makassar
$28 61.6% $45
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Makassar
$15 68.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $225 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 10 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $9 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $194 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇮🇩 Makassar
🕒 Local time
06:33 6:33 AM
13:33 1:33 PM
7 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
1,427,619
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Makassar 12,640 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Makassar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Makassar?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $640 in Makassar, so Makassar is about 74% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Makassar?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 10 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Makassar?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $225 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Makassar?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $92 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $800 per month?
At $640 in Makassar versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $800 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Makassar?
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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Makassar?
Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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