Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Tagum City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Tagum City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $434 in Tagum City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $541 in Tagum City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $647 in Tagum City.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 471% more expensive than in Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Tagum City is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$5.63 ₱353

227.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$12.88 ₱807

438.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$5.10 ₱320

175.49%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$2.26 ₱141

37.61%

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

$2.96 €2.55

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.89 ₱118

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.99

$1.41 ₱88.1

227.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.62 ₱102

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$1.87 ₱117

175.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.15

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.20

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.19

$7.86 ₱493

153.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$6.55 ₱411

-51.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.32 ₱83.0

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.71

$0.25 ₱15.71

1156.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.40

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.16 ₱72.7

50.86%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

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

$31.7K €27.3K

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

$187 €161

$55.5 ₱3,478

237.34%

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

$15.10 €13.02

$8.12 ₱509

85.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.42

$27.63 ₱1,732

36.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.85

$24.32 ₱1,525

128.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.10

$3.31 ₱208

253.78%

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

$1,011 €872

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$157 ₱9,829

986.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,121

$129 ₱8,079

908.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,232

$322 ₱20.2K

703.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,667

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,643

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,047

$206 ₱12.9K

1051.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $157 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1051% 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 $13.00 in Tagum City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $87.0 per month, with Tagum City 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Tagum City differ by about 471% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $434 including rent). Tagum City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1051% 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $157 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagum City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $434 in Tagum City – a 471% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Tagum City versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City 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 Tagum City 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 471% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.