Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maroua

For one person, living is cheaper in Maroua: $348 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $25,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Maroua, Cameroon
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Maroua
🇨🇲 Cameroon
$348
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Maroua

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Maroua actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $348 in Maroua.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Maroua $348

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $519 in Maroua.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Maroua $519

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $690 in Maroua.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Maroua $690

Living in Barcelona is roughly 605% more expensive than in Maroua, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Maroua is 74% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.69
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.2
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.07
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.85
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.60
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.69
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.58
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.04
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.16
$1.66 FCFA 972
-21.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.80
$0.84 FCFA 489
140.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.65
$2.84 FCFA 1,662
-34.86%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.31
$5.62 FCFA 3,290
-14.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €14.93
$5.13 FCFA 2,998
226.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.14
$5.24 FCFA 3,064
74.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.52
$3.31 FCFA 1,936
493.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.66
$1.72 FCFA 1,003
73.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$0.87 FCFA 508
132.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.41
$0.87 FCFA 511
210.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.74 FCFA 1,016
60.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.60 FCFA 1,519
-19.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.71 FCFA 1,000
21.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.82 FCFA 480
14.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.13
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.04
$11.12 FCFA 6,504
-29.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.25
$0.87 FCFA 511
62.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.26
$1.75 FCFA 1,022
45.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.80
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.70
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.67
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.78
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.60
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.3K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €161
$51.6 FCFA 30.2K
249.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.35
$8.43 FCFA 4,932
64.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.06
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €45.96
$16.99 FCFA 9,937
203.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.24
$1.69 FCFA 988
844.38%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.81
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €818
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €77.7
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.35
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.4
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,516
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,209
$83.7 FCFA 48.9K
1519.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,322
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,840
$154 FCFA 89.9K
1242.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,169
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,575
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Maroua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,972
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
0
-

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Maroua: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Maroua
–
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Maroua
–
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Maroua
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Maroua
–
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Maroua
–
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Maroua
–
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Maroua
–
Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇨🇲 Maroua
🕒 Local time
20:02 8:02 PM
20:02 8:02 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
3,119,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 653 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Maroua 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Maroua

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maroua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Maroua?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $348 in Maroua, so Maroua is about 86% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Maroua?
You’d need roughly $3,679 in Barcelona and $522 in Maroua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Barcelona or Maroua?
All in, you’ll spend $2,453 per month in Barcelona versus $348 in Maroua – Maroua is about 86% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $348 in Maroua versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Maroua?
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.

Barcelona vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?