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: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $320 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $476 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $633 in Manzini.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 650% more expensive than Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Manzini is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

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

$2.79 €2.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.13 SZL 18.29

14.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.91 SZL 14.67

125.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.73 SZL 27.96

14.45%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.09 SZL 17.68

211.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$6.58 SZL 106

183.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$2.77 SZL 44.77

245.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$1.63 SZL 26.35

1055.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.24 SZL 20.05

121.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$0.54 SZL 8.68

357.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$0.72 SZL 11.56

191.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$0.47 SZL 7.52

500.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.53 SZL 8.61

281.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.43 SZL 6.96

330.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.41 SZL 6.57

268.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.64 SZL 10.32

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$2.87 SZL 46.37

145.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$3.42 SZL 55.3

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.53 SZL 8.60

169.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.70 SZL 11.29

227.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.54 SZL 8.80

433.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.26 SZL 20.33

47.62%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$15.7K SZL 253.7K

148.45%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$14.8K SZL 239.5K

120.74%

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

$189 €163

$66.7 SZL 1,079

183.51%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$11.19 SZL 181

102.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$27.98 SZL 452

30.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$3.35 SZL 54.2

222.69%

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

$726 €625

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$157 SZL 2,539

901.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$97.2 SZL 1,571

1155.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$331 SZL 5,353

719.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$250 SZL 4,041

686.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$401 SZL 6,477

492.90%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Manzini: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $157 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 493% 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 650% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $320 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 493% 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $157 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 199% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,399 per month in Barcelona versus $320 in Manzini – a 650% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $320 in Manzini versus $2,399 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 650% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.