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: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $349 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $526 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $703 in Manzini.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 610% more expensive than in Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Manzini is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

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

$2.83 €2.47

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.24 SZL 20.25

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.93 SZL 15.23

132.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.79 SZL 29.37

-1.68%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$1.15 SZL 18.75

346.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$7.37 SZL 121

142.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$3.14 SZL 51.4

207.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$1.80 SZL 29.45

1019.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$1.40 SZL 22.88

132.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.63 SZL 10.39

253.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$0.84 SZL 13.69

209.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.47 SZL 7.72

487.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.63 SZL 10.33

250.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.47 SZL 7.72

351.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.41 SZL 6.78

278.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.67 SZL 10.93

41.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$3.13 SZL 51.2

134.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$3.38 SZL 55.4

138.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.65 SZL 10.63

136.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$0.82 SZL 13.38

240.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.61 SZL 9.96

409.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.31 SZL 21.49

32.06%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$17.4K SZL 284.2K

109.43%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$15.9K SZL 259.8K

92.38%

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

$187 €163

$72.5 SZL 1,187

158.01%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$12.16 SZL 199

24.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$30.84 SZL 505

22.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$3.61 SZL 59.0

216.07%

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

$997 €869

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$169 SZL 2,769

908.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$108 SZL 1,773

1086.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$363 SZL 5,934

607.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$280 SZL 4,589

592.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$407 SZL 6,661

477.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-68.40%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manzini: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $169 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 477% 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 610% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $349 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 477% 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $169 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 186% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $349 in Manzini – a 610% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $349 in Manzini versus $2,476 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 610% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.