Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mambajao Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mambajao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $621 in Mambajao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $996 in Mambajao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,371 in Mambajao.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 277% more expensive than Mambajao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Mambajao is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$1.52 ₱93.9

1058.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$26.72 ₱1,648

157.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$4.36 ₱269

215.37%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$3.16 ₱195

-12.66%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.39 ₱85.7

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.77 ₱47.67

166.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$1.14 ₱70.3

304.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.64 ₱163

73.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.32 ₱81.6

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.98 ₱60.7

115.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.82 ₱50.7

140.24%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.35 ₱83.5

154.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$8.10 ₱500

132.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$4.25 ₱262

122.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$6.32 ₱390

200.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.95 ₱182

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.31 ₱80.7

80.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.73 ₱168

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$1.63 ₱100

69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.36 ₱145

-16.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.63 ₱162

-31.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.06 ₱65.4

42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.72 ₱44.29

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$2.92 ₱180

131.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$4.13 ₱255

82.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.09 ₱67.2

32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.29 ₱79.4

86.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.22 ₱13.57

1277.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$0.82 ₱50.8

440.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.24 ₱14.81

754.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$2.15 ₱133

1264.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.41 ₱87.0

34.04%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

47.24%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

60.95%

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

$189 €161

$85.8 ₱5,294

119.70%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$32.42 ₱1,999

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$22.22 ₱1,371

65.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$33.68 ₱2,077

72.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$4.32 ₱267

385.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$6.02 ₱371

83.55%

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

$726 €622

$152 ₱9,373

378.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$4,241 ₱261.6K

259.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$45.26 ₱2,792

95.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$27.00 ₱1,665

36.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$75.1 ₱4,635

36.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$53.8 ₱3,316

121.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$135 ₱8,320

1031.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$84.7 ₱5,225

1338.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$294 ₱18.1K

851.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$194 ₱12.0K

946.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$2,622 ₱161.7K

170.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$157 ₱9,656

1435.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.67

-49.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $135 in Mambajao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1436% 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 $27.00 in Mambajao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $179 per month, with Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mambajao differ by about 277% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $621 including rent). Mambajao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1436% 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 $135 in Mambajao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $152 in Mambajao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mambajao – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $621 in Mambajao versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mambajao but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mambajao 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 Mambajao 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 Mambajao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 277% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.