Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Boquete versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,065 in Boquete versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,741 in Boquete versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Boquete costs roughly 41% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boquete 4% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 PAB 5.43

$17.58 €15.12

-69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 PAB 29.91

$68.4 €58.9

-56.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 PAB 7.36

$14.06 €12.09

-47.65%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$2.78 €2.39

19.42%

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

$1.40 PAB 1.40

$2.80 €2.41

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 PAB 0.87

$2.06 €1.78

-57.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 PAB 1.77

$4.46 €3.84

-60.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$4.61 €3.96

-56.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$1.24 €1.07

30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.03 €1.74

18.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.92 €1.65

-26.56%

Eggs

$2.66 PAB 2.66

$3.31 €2.85

-19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 PAB 9.11

$18.43 €15.85

-50.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$9.49 €8.16

-19.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 PAB 11.00

$19.16 €16.48

-42.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 PAB 4.44

$2.64 €2.27

68.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 PAB 1.00

$2.45 €2.11

-59.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 PAB 3.18

$2.12 €1.82

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$2.85 €2.45

-42.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$2.04 €1.75

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 PAB 1.68

$1.85 €1.59

-9.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

$1.47 €1.26

51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$0.84 €0.73

96.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 PAB 5.35

$7.14 €6.14

-25.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 PAB 8.08

$7.88 €6.78

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.38 €1.19

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PAB 2.70

$2.31 €1.99

16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$2.98 €2.56

-48.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 PAB 25.34

$29.26 €25.17

-13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$4.60 €3.95

-78.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$2.07 €1.78

-0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

$29.18 €25.10

4.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.84 €1.58

-51.63%

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

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

$39.0K €33.6K

-33.99%

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

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

$32.7K €28.1K

-36.38%

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

$53.7 PAB 53.7

$188 €162

-71.44%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$22.93 €19.73

24.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 PAB 45.79

$36.71 €31.58

24.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 PAB 87.9

$57.4 €49.35

53.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.68 PAB 17.68

$20.70 €17.80

-14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 PAB 6.41

$11.19 €9.63

-42.72%

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

$245 PAB 245

$721 €620

-65.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.53 PAB 35.53

$86.2 €74.2

-58.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 PAB 25.36

$37.07 €31.89

-31.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 PAB 51.4

$102 €87.8

-49.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 PAB 58.9

$116 €99.7

-49.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 PAB 743

$1,534 €1,319

-51.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 PAB 652

$1,220 €1,050

-46.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$2,696 €2,319

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 PAB 1,142

$2,013 €1,732

-43.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

$7,220 €6,211

-83.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 PAB 1,155

$5,189 €4,463

-77.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$800 PAB 800

$2,359 €2,029

-66.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

106.49%

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

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Boquete and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 195% 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: $30.00 in Boquete vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $318 per month, with Boquete 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

Boquete vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete and Barcelona differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,389 vs $2,367 including rent). Boquete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 195% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $743 in Boquete versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $245 in Boquete versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,389 in Boquete versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Boquete 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, Boquete and Barcelona 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 Boquete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.