Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sao Joao da Madeira Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sao Joao da Madeira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,540 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,167 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $2,795 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 52% more expensive than Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$10.50 €8.99

67.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$20.97 €17.95

227.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$8.18 €7.00

68.09%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$1.19 €1.02

131.93%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.14 €0.98

143.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.05 €0.90

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$2.26 €1.94

103.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$2.34 €2.01

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.95 €0.81

34.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.37 €0.31

470.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.13 €0.97

74.34%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.88 €2.46

19.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$8.74 €7.48

115.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$5.67 €4.86

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$7.11 €6.09

167.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.19 €1.87

24.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.52 €1.30

55.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.03 €1.74

2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$2.99 €2.56

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.33 €1.14

48.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.86 €1.59

-3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.67 €1.43

-9.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.89 €0.77

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$6.07 €5.19

11.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$6.06 €5.18

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.14 €0.97

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.71 €2.32

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$2.32 €1.99

30.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$42.56 €36.43

-33.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$4.40 €3.76

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.24 €1.07

65.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$14.53 €12.44

101.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.90 €1.62

-0.53%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$38.1K €32.6K

1.58%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$40.1K €34.4K

-19.39%

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

$189 €161

$135 €115

40.16%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$21.59 €18.48

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$41.47 €35.49

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$39.71 €33.99

46.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$5.96 €5.10

85.40%

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

$726 €622

$345 €295

110.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$8,190 €7,010

85.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$74.1 €63.4

19.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$33.83 €28.96

9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$92.1 €78.8

11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$155 €133

-23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$930 €796

64.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$720 €617

69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,476 €1,264

89.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$1,159 €992

74.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$3,148 €2,695

125.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$2,211 €1,893

119.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,120 €959

114.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.43

-37.57%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Madeira: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $930 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 115% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $197 per month, with Sao Joao da Madeira 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 Sao Joao da Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sao Joao da Madeira differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,540 including rent). Sao Joao da Madeira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 115% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $930 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $345 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,540 in Sao Joao da Madeira versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Madeira but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Madeira 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 Sao Joao da Madeira 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 Sao Joao da Madeira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.