Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Manzini Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Manzini

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $319 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $472 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $625 in Manzini.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 640% more expensive than in Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Manzini is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

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

$2.82 €2.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.18 SZL 19.41

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.85 SZL 14.01

150.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.69 SZL 27.87

17.75%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.07 SZL 17.60

214.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$6.70 SZL 110

182.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$2.75 SZL 45.31

246.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$1.72 SZL 28.37

988.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$1.30 SZL 21.35

103.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$0.58 SZL 9.62

305.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.71 SZL 11.67

194.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.47 SZL 7.67

480.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.57 SZL 9.47

243.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.44 SZL 7.23

311.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.41 SZL 6.71

268.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.59 SZL 9.76

50.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.85 SZL 46.96

137.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$3.18 SZL 52.4

149.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.55 SZL 9.00

149.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$0.75 SZL 12.35

220.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.54 SZL 8.91

438.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.24 SZL 20.49

46.77%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$15.7K SZL 258.8K

150.27%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$14.3K SZL 235.8K

126.88%

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

$187 €162

$65.9 SZL 1,086

183.20%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$11.17 SZL 184

99.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$27.58 SZL 454

31.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$3.42 SZL 56.4

214.91%

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

$725 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$155 SZL 2,554

882.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$98.6 SZL 1,624

1144.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$338 SZL 5,571

706.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$253 SZL 4,172

683.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$386 SZL 6,355

520.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-66.10%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manzini: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $155 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 520% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Manzini differ by about 640% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $319 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 520% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $155 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 197% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,359 per month in Barcelona versus $319 in Manzini – a 640% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $319 in Manzini versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini 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 Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 640% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.