Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Monrovia Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Monrovia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,379 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $2,417 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $3,455 in Monrovia.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 74% more expensive than in Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Monrovia 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.42

$7.34 LRD 1,329

140.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.1

$148 LRD 26.8K

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.91

$11.01 LRD 1,995

24.07%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.39

$3.34 LRD 606

-17.96%

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

$2.79 €2.43

$2.04 LRD 370

36.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.70 LRD 488

-27.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.81

$2.67 LRD 484

63.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.99

$2.95 LRD 535

55.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$2.14 LRD 389

-39.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.83 LRD 331

12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$5.29 LRD 959

-62.57%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.96

$3.55 LRD 643

-4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.26

$11.64 LRD 2,109

60.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.34

$11.95 LRD 2,166

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.43

$36.09 LRD 6,539

-47.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$1.68 LRD 304

63.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.15

$8.62 LRD 1,561

-71.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$10.15 LRD 1,838

-79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.46

$10.88 LRD 1,972

-74.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.31 LRD 418

-12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$10.86 LRD 1,968

-82.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$4.64 LRD 840

-67.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$2.06 LRD 373

-56.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.16

$4.94 LRD 894

42.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.96

$6.99 LRD 1,266

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$2.47 LRD 448

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.00

$3.34 LRD 604

-31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.97 LRD 538

-3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.77

$20.19 LRD 3,658

40.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.82

$2.78 LRD 503

57.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.22 LRD 220

75.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.44

$17.73 LRD 3,213

64.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.22 LRD 222

52.46%

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

$39.0K €34.0K

$12.4K LRD 2.3M

213.61%

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

$32.7K €28.5K

$15.0K LRD 2.7M

118.45%

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

$189 €165

$272 LRD 49.3K

-30.45%

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

$22.71 €19.82

$22.70 LRD 4,113

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.85

$93.1 LRD 16.9K

-60.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €50.3

$76.2 LRD 13.8K

-24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.64

$8.22 LRD 1,489

159.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.43

$9.66 LRD 1,750

11.90%

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

$726 €634

$130 LRD 23.5K

460.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.2K

$905 LRD 164.0K

1567.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €76.5

$18.18 LRD 3,294

382.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €32.19

$33.87 LRD 6,137

8.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.3

$56.6 LRD 10.3K

82.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €102

$69.8 LRD 12.6K

66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,373

$677 LRD 122.7K

132.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,064

$95.1 LRD 17.2K

1182.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,366

$1,806 LRD 327.2K

50.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,716

$265 LRD 47.9K

643.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,815

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,595

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,072

$713 LRD 129.2K

232.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-32.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $677 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 233% 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 $148 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $538 per month, with Barcelona 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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Monrovia differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $1,379 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 233% 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $677 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $130 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 68% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,379 in Monrovia versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia 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 Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.