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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $350 in Malindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $573 in Malindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $796 in Malindi.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 568% more expensive than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Malindi is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$2.14 KES 277

722.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$31.23 KES 4,030

119.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.59 KES 205

74.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.90 KES 117

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$3.50 KES 451

31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$3.55 KES 458

29.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.98 KES 127

30.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.21 KES 156

62.81%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.99 KES 386

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$11.40 KES 1,471

65.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$6.20 KES 800

52.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$4.94 KES 637

284.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$3.16 KES 407

-13.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.78 KES 101

203.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.63 KES 340

-20.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.72 KES 93.2

283.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.75 KES 96.5

162.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.71 KES 92.3

152.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.52 KES 66.8

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.42 KES 184

33.10%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

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

$32.4K €27.7K

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

$189 €161

$77.1 KES 9,947

144.73%

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

$22.21 €19.01

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$30.93 KES 3,992

19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$38.39 KES 4,955

51.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

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

$726 €622

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$386 KES 49.9K

623.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $31.00 in Malindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $151 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 568% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $350 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $525 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 $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,341 per month in Barcelona versus $350 in Malindi – a 568% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $350 in Malindi versus $2,341 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 568% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.