Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mandaluyong Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mandaluyong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $851 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,297 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,744 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 178% more expensive than Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Mandaluyong is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$5.25 ₱324

234.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$17.68 ₱1,091

287.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$3.29 ₱203

327.36%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$2.35 ₱145

18.30%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$0.92 ₱57.1

204.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.53 ₱32.94

288.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.55 ₱95.4

187.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.69 ₱166

71.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.83 ₱113

-32.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.35 ₱83.0

50.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.10 ₱67.9

74.55%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.17 ₱134

52.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$8.94 ₱551

106.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$5.15 ₱318

84.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$8.64 ₱533

121.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.39 ₱209

-22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.85 ₱114

32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$3.51 ₱217

-39.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.38 ₱147

19.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.70 ₱166

-24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$3.10 ₱191

-40.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.67 ₱41.58

119.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.64 ₱39.57

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$3.32 ₱205

115.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$8.75 ₱540

-9.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.44 ₱89.0

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.14 ₱132

7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.34 ₱20.90

776.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$0.85 ₱52.7

441.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.25 ₱15.36

728.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$2.11 ₱130

1282.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.14 ₱70.4

61.40%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$26.9K ₱1.7M

44.84%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

61.36%

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

$188 €162

$138 ₱8,503

36.30%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$34.72 ₱2,143

-33.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$26.60 ₱1,641

38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$33.81 ₱2,086

69.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$4.52 ₱279

357.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$6.83 ₱421

63.84%

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

$721 €621

$150 ₱9,283

379.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$4,814 ₱297.1K

212.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$46.69 ₱2,881

84.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$35.59 ₱2,196

4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$76.6 ₱4,727

33.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$47.18 ₱2,911

145.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$534 ₱32.9K

187.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$180 ₱11.1K

579.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$584 ₱36.0K

361.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$392 ₱24.2K

414.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$2,834 ₱174.9K

154.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$590 ₱36.4K

299.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.5

-24.67%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $534 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 300% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $231 per month, with Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mandaluyong differ by about 178% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $851 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 300% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $534 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $150 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $851 in Mandaluyong versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.