Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $679 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $1,091 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $1,503 in Shymkent.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 249% more expensive than Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$9.57 ₸4,664

83.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$19.66 ₸9,579

248.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$6.77 ₸3,298

107.68%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$1.87 ₸912

48.66%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.01 ₸490

177.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.44 ₸213

368.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.16 ₸563

284.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$1.91 ₸930

141.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.10 ₸534

12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$0.30 ₸148

576.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.57 ₸767

22.29%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$1.44 ₸702

129.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$7.95 ₸3,871

131.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$4.24 ₸2,066

123.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$6.50 ₸3,166

194.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.00 ₸489

164.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.84 ₸894

33.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.89 ₸920

12.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.02 ₸499

179.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.47 ₸231

334.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.38 ₸184

386.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.78 ₸378

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.64 ₸311

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$1.91 ₸930

273.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$3.97 ₸1,935

98.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.93 ₸454

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.38 ₸673

67.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$0.16 ₸77.7

1762.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$0.84 ₸409

447.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.63 ₸308

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$5.91 ₸2,879

393.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.46 ₸222

300.00%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$19.8K ₸9.7M

96.76%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

33.15%

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

$188 €162

$51.1 ₸24.9K

267.91%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$8.84 ₸4,306

159.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$12.49 ₸6,086

193.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$32.82 ₸16.0K

74.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$7.69 ₸3,748

169.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$4.75 ₸2,315

135.58%

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

$721 €621

$49.35 ₸24.0K

1360.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$4,935 ₸2.4M

204.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$32.43 ₸15.8K

165.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$30.01 ₸14.6K

23.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$123 ₸59.7K

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$46.31 ₸22.6K

150.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$306 ₸149.1K

401.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$177 ₸86.4K

588.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$470 ₸229.2K

472.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$354 ₸172.4K

468.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$1,040 ₸506.5K

594.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$911 ₸443.6K

469.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$401 ₸195.1K

488.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

19.5

-82.62%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $306 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 489% 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 $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $148 per month, with Shymkent 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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Shymkent differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $679 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 489% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $306 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $49.35 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent 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 Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.