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: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $776 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $1,352 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $1,928 in Shymkent.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 221% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Shymkent is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$10.77 ₸4,907

70.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$32.49 ₸14.8K

112.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$6.63 ₸3,021

113.12%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$2.39 ₸1,091

30.96%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$1.02 ₸467

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.53 ₸242

269.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$1.05 ₸480

280.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

$1.33 ₸607

257.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.46 ₸666

-14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$0.42 ₸193

414.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.72 ₸783

-1.74%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.63 ₸741

202.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$10.25 ₸4,670

74.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$5.14 ₸2,343

86.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$8.80 ₸4,009

119.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$1.18 ₸538

174.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.09 ₸954

4.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.50 ₸1,139

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$1.35 ₸614

105.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.53 ₸244

316.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$0.40 ₸181

447.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.86 ₸392

76.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.83 ₸380

10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$2.46 ₸1,121

189.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

$4.36 ₸1,987

86.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.04 ₸476

44.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.54 ₸703

80.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$0.13 ₸60.1

2323.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$0.83 ₸377

291.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.37 ₸166

305.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

$9.78 ₸4,457

256.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.59 ₸267

196.61%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$26.9K ₸12.2M

36.35%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$29.0K ₸13.2M

6.56%

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

$188 €161

$46.53 ₸21.2K

303.25%

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

$15.44 €13.27

$9.10 ₸4,145

69.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$14.64 ₸6,671

158.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

$38.70 ₸17.6K

47.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

$8.60 ₸3,920

95.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$5.40 ₸2,462

114.44%

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

$1,003 €862

$56.5 ₸25.7K

1676.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$35.70 ₸16.3K

149.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$33.12 ₸15.1K

23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$182 ₸82.9K

-39.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$52.1 ₸23.7K

135.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$333 ₸151.8K

402.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$202 ₸91.9K

559.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$693 ₸315.7K

274.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$550 ₸250.7K

254.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

$1,075 ₸489.6K

604.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

$974 ₸443.6K

451.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$432 ₸196.9K

455.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

18.25

-82.68%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $333 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 456% 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 $32.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $183 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 221% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $776 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 456% 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $333 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $56.5 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 $32.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $776 in Shymkent versus $2,495 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 221% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.