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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $678 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,076 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,473 in Shymkent.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 242% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$9.93 ₸4,669

77.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$19.90 ₸9,353

250.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$6.99 ₸3,287

102.58%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.85 ₸868

51.35%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.99 ₸467

183.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.41 ₸192

402.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$1.15 ₸542

300.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$1.91 ₸898

145.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.15 ₸541

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.30 ₸142

576.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.63 ₸767

21.47%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.44 ₸676

142.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$7.92 ₸3,724

131.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$4.18 ₸1,967

135.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$6.47 ₸3,042

195.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$0.96 ₸450

184.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.78 ₸837

33.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.91 ₸896

8.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.02 ₸480

169.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.48 ₸224

308.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.38 ₸178

371.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.79 ₸373

87.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.69 ₸322

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$1.99 ₸937

258.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$4.33 ₸2,034

81.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.94 ₸443

46.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.33 ₸627

79.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.14 ₸64.0

2050.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.89 ₸418

389.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.62 ₸294

243.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$5.80 ₸2,724

410.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.50 ₸234

264.00%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$19.3K ₸9.1M

96.14%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$23.9K ₸11.2M

35.55%

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

$189 €166

$50.4 ₸23.7K

274.76%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$8.64 ₸4,060

157.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$12.73 ₸5,981

191.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$33.03 ₸15.5K

75.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$7.81 ₸3,670

164.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$5.04 ₸2,367

115.67%

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

$706 €618

$48.24 ₸22.7K

1363.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$4,849 ₸2.3M

206.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$33.02 ₸15.5K

170.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$29.87 ₸14.0K

22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$120 ₸56.4K

-13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$46.86 ₸22.0K

154.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$297 ₸139.7K

431.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$174 ₸81.7K

612.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$475 ₸223.2K

471.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$365 ₸171.5K

458.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$1,039 ₸488.5K

624.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$935 ₸439.7K

460.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$415 ₸195.2K

469.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $297 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 469% 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 $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $149 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 242% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $678 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 469% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $297 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $48.24 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 $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Shymkent versus $2,320 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 242% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.