Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $442 in Mbeya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $669 in Mbeya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $896 in Mbeya.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 425% more expensive than in Mbeya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Mbeya is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$23.27 TZS 61.1K

199.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$7.86 TZS 20.6K

80.15%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.59 TZS 4,166

76.10%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.37 TZS 975

659.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.40 TZS 1,051

415.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$0.76 TZS 1,988

505.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.56 TZS 1,459

119.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.94 TZS 2,478

115.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.93 TZS 2,452

112.90%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.36 TZS 6,192

47.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$3.77 TZS 9,894

386.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$3.78 TZS 9,913

160.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$3.51 TZS 9,201

445.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.19 TZS 3,118

129.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$0.75 TZS 1,980

217.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.94 TZS 2,475

121.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.81 TZS 2,120

239.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.01 TZS 2,640

94.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.75 TZS 1,959

138.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.56 TZS 1,477

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.76 TZS 1,983

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$1.18 TZS 3,108

504.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$3.88 TZS 10.2K

103.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.80 TZS 2,086

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.15 TZS 3,005

107.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.41 TZS 1,074

634.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$1.13 TZS 2,966

285.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.70 TZS 4,470

25.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$2.78 TZS 7,289

964.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$1.26 TZS 3,318

44.44%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

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

$32.4K €28.4K

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

$189 €166

$25.04 TZS 65.7K

654.91%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$19.44 TZS 51.0K

14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$46.15 TZS 121.1K

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$38.01 TZS 99.7K

52.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$9.86 TZS 25.9K

10.24%

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

$706 €618

$194 TZS 508.6K

264.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$1,146 TZS 3.0M

1196.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$11.45 TZS 30.1K

681.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$9.85 TZS 25.8K

271.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$19.63 TZS 51.5K

429.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$27.38 TZS 71.8K

336.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$117 TZS 306.4K

1252.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$76.6 TZS 201.0K

1516.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$193 TZS 505.6K

1307.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$117 TZS 307.1K

1642.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$188 TZS 494.0K

1155.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-73.92%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $117 in Mbeya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1156% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $23.00 in Mbeya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $117 per month, with Mbeya 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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mbeya differ by about 425% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $442 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1156% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $117 in Mbeya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $194 in Mbeya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mbeya – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $442 in Mbeya versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbeya but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mbeya 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 Mbeya 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 Mbeya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 425% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.