Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Tripoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Tripoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $530 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $804 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $1,079 in Tripoli.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 371% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 82% above, Tripoli is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$3.88 LYD 24.59

373.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$14.99 LYD 94.9

361.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$2.49 LYD 15.77

467.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$0.44 LYD 2.76

611.36%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$0.42 LYD 2.65

619.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.09 LYD 0.59

2077.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.94 LYD 5.96

32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$0.20 LYD 1.27

980.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.12 LYD 7.10

50.89%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.33 LYD 8.44

270.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$5.03 LYD 31.87

255.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$3.27 LYD 20.73

193.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$9.86 LYD 62.4

96.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$2.32 LYD 14.70

39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.51 LYD 9.55

44.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$0.71 LYD 4.47

276.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$0.55 LYD 3.50

403.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.71 LYD 4.47

211.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$0.46 LYD 2.90

376.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.43 LYD 2.70

253.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.19 LYD 1.17

384.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$2.00 LYD 12.64

256.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$0.32 LYD 2.04

884.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$0.80 LYD 5.08

306.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.45 LYD 2.86

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.02 LYD 0.11

8650.00%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

52.75%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

119.61%

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

$188 €161

$96.2 LYD 609

95.06%

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

$15.44 €13.27

$5.63 LYD 35.65

174.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$27.89 LYD 177

35.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

$23.88 LYD 151

139.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

$2.39 LYD 15.16

602.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

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

$1,003 €862

$53.6 LYD 339

1771.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$623 LYD 3,945

2631.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$20.54 LYD 130

334.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$17.80 LYD 113

129.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$55.7 LYD 353

97.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$67.3 LYD 426

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$361 LYD 2,288

363.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$145 LYD 919

817.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$602 LYD 3,810

331.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$262 LYD 1,661

643.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$250 LYD 1,584

860.15%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $361 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 860% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $115 per month, with Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Tripoli differ by about 371% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $530 including rent). Tripoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 860% 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 $361 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $53.6 in Tripoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tripoli – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Tripoli versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tripoli but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Tripoli 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 Tripoli 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 Tripoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 371% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.