Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Timbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Timbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $683 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,101 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,519 in Timbo.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 251% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Timbo is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.42

$4.48 R$23.12

294.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.1

$32.20 R$166

117.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.91

$3.58 R$18.46

281.56%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.39

$1.84 R$9.49

48.91%

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

$2.79 €2.43

$0.95 R$4.92

193.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.61 R$3.13

221.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.81

$1.67 R$8.61

161.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.99

$2.10 R$10.83

118.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$0.78 R$4.03

65.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.36 R$7.03

50.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.83 R$4.30

138.55%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.96

$1.70 R$8.78

99.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.26

$7.41 R$38.26

151.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.34

$3.22 R$16.63

196.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.43

$6.94 R$35.84

171.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$1.67 R$8.61

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.15

$0.61 R$3.13

304.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.71 R$3.64

195.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.46

$1.27 R$6.54

122.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$0.87 R$4.50

132.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.87 R$4.49

112.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.59 R$3.06

155.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.72 R$3.73

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.16

$1.46 R$7.55

383.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.96

$5.06 R$26.11

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.00 R$5.17

43.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.00

$1.82 R$9.38

25.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.51

$0.88 R$4.56

227.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.77

$38.07 R$197

-25.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.82

$1.16 R$5.99

277.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.87

$0.67 R$3.43

219.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.44

$6.13 R$31.65

375.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.63

$0.92 R$4.75

102.17%

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

$39.0K €34.0K

$18.7K R$96.5K

108.45%

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

$32.7K €28.5K

$24.8K R$127.9K

31.98%

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

$189 €165

$52.3 R$270

261.71%

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

$22.71 €19.82

$11.57 R$59.7

96.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.85

$21.06 R$109

73.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €50.3

$22.42 R$116

156.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.64

$21.79 R$112

-1.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.43

$5.31 R$27.40

103.58%

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

$726 €634

$215 R$1,111

237.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.2K

$2,549 R$13.2K

492.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €76.5

$28.72 R$148

205.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €32.19

$36.59 R$189

0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.3

$53.2 R$274

94.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €102

$45.31 R$234

157.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,373

$309 R$1,597

408.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,064

$220 R$1,137

453.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,366

$572 R$2,954

373.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,716

$429 R$2,213

358.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,815

$1,520 R$7,847

413.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,595

$1,132 R$5,844

365.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,072

$677 R$3,492

250.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-69.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Timbo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $309 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 251% 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 $32.00 in Timbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $146 per month, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Timbo differ by about 251% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $683 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 251% 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $309 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $215 in Timbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $683 in Timbo versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo 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 Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 251% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.