Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mianyang, Sichuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mianyang, Sichuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $689 in Mianyang, Sichuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,068 in Mianyang, Sichuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,447 in Mianyang, Sichuan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 248% more expensive than Mianyang, Sichuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Mianyang, Sichuan is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$2.75 ¥18.61

542.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$16.68 ¥113

320.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$4.95 ¥33.41

175.96%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$2.90 ¥19.59

-5.52%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.44 ¥2.96

534.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.29 ¥1.97

575.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.12 ¥7.57

289.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.15 ¥14.50

113.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.35 ¥9.14

-4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.45 ¥9.77

41.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.85 ¥5.77

132.94%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.94 ¥13.11

74.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$13.69 ¥92.5

36.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$3.31 ¥22.35

188.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$11.33 ¥76.6

66.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.80 ¥12.14

52.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.17 ¥7.87

111.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.44 ¥9.72

45.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.03 ¥6.95

173.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.70 ¥4.72

188.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.76 ¥5.16

143.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.58 ¥3.95

160.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.58 ¥3.89

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$3.42 ¥23.09

106.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$5.39 ¥36.44

48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.82 ¥5.51

74.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.27 ¥8.58

80.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.27 ¥1.81

966.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$16.78 ¥113

69.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$0.98 ¥6.63

346.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.26 ¥1.77

723.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$4.25 ¥28.71

585.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.16 ¥7.85

60.34%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$18.9K ¥127.6K

106.29%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$16.3K ¥110.1K

100.62%

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

$189 €163

$43.92 ¥297

330.56%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$6.03 ¥40.76

276.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$11.47 ¥77.5

218.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$41.75 ¥282

37.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$13.76 ¥93.0

55.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$5.33 ¥35.99

102.81%

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

$726 €625

$343 ¥2,314

112.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$12.1K ¥81.4K

25.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$36.91 ¥249

137.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$39.05 ¥264

-5.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$54.8 ¥370

88.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$51.2 ¥346

127.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$280 ¥1,893

461.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$190 ¥1,281

543.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$591 ¥3,994

358.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$362 ¥2,445

443.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$2,626 ¥17.7K

197.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$1,763 ¥11.9K

198.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$737 ¥4,978

222.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

3.1

9.35%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mianyang, Sichuan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $280 in Mianyang, Sichuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 222% 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 $17.00 in Mianyang, Sichuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $188 per month, with Mianyang, Sichuan 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 Mianyang, Sichuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mianyang, Sichuan differ by about 248% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $689 including rent). Mianyang, Sichuan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 222% 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 $280 in Mianyang, Sichuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $343 in Mianyang, Sichuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $689 in Mianyang, Sichuan versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mianyang, Sichuan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mianyang, Sichuan 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 Mianyang, Sichuan 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 Mianyang, Sichuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 248% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.