Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Miaoli

For one person, living is cheaper in Miaoli: $834 a month against $2,466 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Miaoli, Taiwan
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,466
/mo nomad
Miaoli
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$834
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Miaoli

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 Miaoli actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,466 in Barcelona versus $834 in Miaoli.

  • Barcelona $2,466
  • Miaoli $834

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,564 in Barcelona versus $1,564 in Miaoli.

  • Barcelona $3,564
  • Miaoli $1,564

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,662 in Barcelona versus $2,293 in Miaoli.

  • Barcelona $4,662
  • Miaoli $2,293

Living in Barcelona is roughly 196% more expensive than in Miaoli, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 84% above, Miaoli is 38% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.12 €16.15
$2.42 NT$79.7
648.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.8
$22.74 NT$748
199.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.49 €12.02
$4.67 NT$154
188.87%
Cappuccino
$3.11 €2.77
$2.95 NT$97.2
5.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 €2.70
$0.80 NT$26.36
278.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 €1.74
$0.52 NT$17.17
275.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.86 €3.44
$1.26 NT$41.30
206.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 €3.91
$1.33 NT$43.65
229.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$2.68 NT$88.0
-53.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.08 €1.86
$1.22 NT$40.18
70.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$2.60 NT$85.5
-26.54%
Eggs
$4.96 €4.42
$2.12 NT$69.7
133.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.02 €15.17
$9.07 NT$298
87.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.98 €8.00
$8.37 NT$275
7.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.15 €17.96
$20.84 NT$686
-3.31%
Apples (1kg)
$3.21 €2.86
$3.79 NT$125
-15.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$2.03 NT$66.9
1.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$2.90 NT$95.4
-7.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 €2.49
$3.09 NT$102
-9.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.93
$2.42 NT$79.7
-10.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.98 NT$65.0
10.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.38
$2.33 NT$76.6
-33.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.79 NT$25.88
13.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.94 €6.19
$3.79 NT$125
83.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.90 €7.04
$9.28 NT$305
-14.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.44 NT$47.50
2.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.44
$2.09 NT$68.6
30.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.30 €2.94
$0.52 NT$17.20
534.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.34 €22.58
$30.24 NT$995
-16.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 €2.86
$2.79 NT$91.9
15.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 €1.34
$0.75 NT$24.54
100.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.29 €29.67
$7.10 NT$234
368.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.61
$0.98 NT$32.11
84.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K €26.4K
$35.8K NT$1.2M
-17.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K €29.2K
$23.0K NT$756.0K
42.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$72.4 NT$2,382
153.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.58 €12.99
$17.83 NT$587
-18.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93 €30.24
$20.44 NT$672
66.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 €47.19
$30.31 NT$997
74.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.78 €17.63
$10.29 NT$338
92.23%
Cinema Ticket
$11.43 €10.19
$10.61 NT$349
7.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$951 €847
$508 NT$16.7K
87.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.7K €19.3K
$21.3K NT$700.8K
1.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.5 €78.8
$12.25 NT$403
622.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.01 €35.66
$21.54 NT$709
85.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.1
$62.0 NT$2,038
70.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$96.3 NT$3,168
22.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 €1,491
$217 NT$7,155
669.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,354 €1,206
$156 NT$5,125
768.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,671 €2,380
$952 NT$31.3K
180.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,122 €1,891
$781 NT$25.7K
171.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,057 €6,289
$5,079 NT$167.1K
38.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,176 €4,612
$3,420 NT$112.5K
51.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Miaoli
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,380 €2,121
$2,459 NT$80.9K
-3.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
2.38
34.03%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 10, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: November 9, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Miaoli
$156 88.5% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$327
Miaoli
$308 5.9% $19
Eating Out
Barcelona
$271
Miaoli
$83 69.3% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Miaoli
$111 52.3% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Miaoli
$86 45.4% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$76
Miaoli
$52 32% $24
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Miaoli
$39 21.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $217 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68 in Barcelona vs $23 in Miaoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $308 per month, with Miaoli cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇹🇼 Miaoli
🕒 Local time
20:55 8:55 PM
03:55 3:55 AM
7 h ahead of Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
89,892
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 32.9 TWD (100 TWD = 3.04 USD). 1 EUR = 36.92 TWD (100 TWD = 2.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Miaoli 10,340 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Miaoli

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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Miaoli?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,466 in Barcelona and $834 in Miaoli, so Miaoli is about 66% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Barcelona. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Miaoli?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $217 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Miaoli?
Childcare runs $951 in Barcelona versus $508 in Miaoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $834 in Miaoli versus $2,466 in Barcelona, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Miaoli?
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.
Is Barcelona or Miaoli safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Miaoli are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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