Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $345 in Malindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $578 in Malindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $811 in Malindi.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 595% more expensive than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Malindi is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$2.14 KES 278

726.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$31.28 KES 4,047

123.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.54 KES 199

81.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.89 KES 115

120.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.53 KES 457

23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$3.40 KES 439

34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.92 KES 119

40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.25 KES 162

58.40%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.99 KES 387

13.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$11.71 KES 1,515

59.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$6.05 KES 783

58.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$5.07 KES 656

271.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$3.05 KES 394

-9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$0.75 KES 96.9

229.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.76 KES 357

-23.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$0.67 KES 86.6

320.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.75 KES 97.0

169.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.67 KES 86.4

176.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.48 KES 61.7

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.41 KES 183

31.91%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.2K

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

$189 €163

$78.7 KES 10.2K

140.22%

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

$22.71 €19.56

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$30.99 KES 4,010

17.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$38.52 KES 4,985

49.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

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

$726 €625

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$392 KES 50.8K

590.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Malindi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $31.00 in Malindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $150 per month, with Malindi 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Malindi differ by about 595% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $345 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,599 in Barcelona and $518 in Malindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,399 per month in Barcelona versus $345 in Malindi – a 595% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $345 in Malindi versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Malindi but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Malindi 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 Malindi 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 Malindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 595% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.