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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $505 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $810 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,114 in Tripoli.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 359% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Tripoli is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$4.49 LYD 28.62

293.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$18.69 LYD 119

272.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$3.63 LYD 23.13

290.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$0.48 LYD 3.07

483.33%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.45 LYD 2.89

524.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.09 LYD 0.60

2188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.03 LYD 6.58

19.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.23 LYD 1.47

782.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.18 LYD 7.49

67.80%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$1.45 LYD 9.24

140.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$4.81 LYD 30.63

281.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$3.34 LYD 21.27

194.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$10.43 LYD 66.5

83.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.19 LYD 13.93

24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.34 LYD 8.55

77.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.76 LYD 4.82

173.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.52 LYD 3.29

428.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.69 LYD 4.42

184.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.53 LYD 3.37

237.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.39 LYD 2.47

279.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.20 LYD 1.27

355.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$1.86 LYD 11.86

283.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$0.27 LYD 1.71

1014.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$21.56 LYD 137

36.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.95 LYD 6.04

358.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.85 LYD 5.43

150.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$4.56 LYD 29.05

549.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.03 LYD 0.20

5966.67%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

176.79%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

97.61%

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

$189 €166

$32.67 LYD 208

478.60%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$8.27 LYD 52.7

169.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$22.56 LYD 144

64.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$27.55 LYD 176

110.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$11.74 LYD 74.8

75.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$4.49 LYD 28.62

142.09%

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

$706 €618

$52.4 LYD 334

1246.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$932 LYD 5,939

1494.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$21.40 LYD 136

317.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$35.81 LYD 228

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$50.6 LYD 323

105.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$55.8 LYD 355

114.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$212 LYD 1,350

644.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$120 LYD 764

932.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$391 LYD 2,488

594.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$218 LYD 1,386

836.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$243 LYD 1,548

872.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

17.5

-80.63%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $212 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 873% 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 $19.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $117 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 359% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $505 including rent). Tripoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 873% 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 $212 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $52.4 in Tripoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 173% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $505 in Tripoli versus $2,320 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 359% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.