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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,567 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,172 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $2,777 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 49% more expensive than Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$10.45 €9.00

63.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$20.89 €18.00

231.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.28 €7.14

66.43%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$1.19 €1.03

131.93%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.17 €1.01

138.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.02 €0.88

95.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.36 €2.03

84.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.35 €2.02

101.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.96 €0.83

34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.34 €0.29

502.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.13 €0.98

76.11%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.88 €2.48

17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$8.93 €7.69

110.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$5.93 €5.11

57.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.12 €6.14

168.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.07 €1.79

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.55 €1.34

50.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.94 €1.67

9.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.93 €2.53

-2.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.38 €1.19

42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.86 €1.60

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.65 €1.42

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.95 €0.82

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$6.01 €5.18

12.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$6.08 €5.24

29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.11 €0.95

25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.62 €2.25

-9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.33 €2.00

25.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$41.35 €35.63

-30.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.43 €3.81

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.25 €1.08

64.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$14.46 €12.46

104.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.89 €1.63

-3.70%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$38.2K €32.9K

1.66%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$39.7K €34.2K

-16.59%

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

$189 €163

$136 €117

39.52%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$21.38 €18.42

6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$41.36 €35.63

-9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$39.11 €33.70

47.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.82 €5.01

85.91%

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

$728 €628

$352 €304

106.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$8,257 €7,115

78.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$75.0 €64.6

18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$34.18 €29.45

7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$91.2 €78.6

11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$158 €136

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$920 €792

70.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$738 €636

65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,483 €1,278

88.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,136 €979

73.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$3,250 €2,800

138.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$2,627 €2,263

97.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,079 €930

117.18%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Madeira: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $920 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 117% 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 $319 vs $198 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 49% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,567 including rent). Sao Joao da Madeira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 117% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $920 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $352 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 61% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,567 in Sao Joao da Madeira versus $2,337 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 49% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.