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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,533 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,200 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $2,866 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 54% more expensive than in Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$10.62 €9.19

61.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$21.00 €18.19

224.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$8.30 €7.19

64.34%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.14 €0.99

143.86%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.14 €0.98

147.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.05 €0.91

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$2.29 €1.99

93.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.30 €1.99

100.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$0.90 €0.78

41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.33 €0.29

545.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.17 €1.02

70.09%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.88 €2.50

17.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$8.50 €7.37

123.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$5.73 €4.96

66.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$6.99 €6.05

167.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.09 €1.81

26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.49 €1.29

57.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.97 €1.71

6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.91 €2.52

-6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.38 €1.19

42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.88 €1.62

-3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.68 €1.46

-10.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.93 €0.81

-4.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$6.16 €5.34

10.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$4.66 €4.04

69.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.14 €0.99

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.68 €2.32

-10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$2.36 €2.05

23.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$41.88 €36.27

-31.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$4.55 €3.94

0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.20 €1.04

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$14.41 €12.48

99.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.97 €1.71

-7.61%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$38.0K €32.9K

3.34%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$39.3K €34.1K

-17.44%

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

$187 €162

$135 €117

38.73%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$21.18 €18.34

5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$42.92 €37.17

-15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$38.89 €33.68

47.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$5.65 €4.89

90.62%

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

$725 €628

$345 €299

109.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$8,247 €7,142

83.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$73.1 €63.3

20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$34.23 €29.64

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$93.1 €80.6

11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$156 €135

-23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$917 €794

66.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$716 €620

71.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,483 €1,284

83.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$1,172 €1,015

69.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$3,235 €2,801

130.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$2,356 €2,041

122.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,093 €947

118.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Madeira: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $917 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 119% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $192 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 54% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,533 including rent). Sao Joao da Madeira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 119% 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $917 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 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 67% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,533 in Sao Joao da Madeira versus $2,359 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 54% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.