Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,119 in Boroko versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,547 in Boroko versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,975 in Boroko versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Boroko costs roughly 52% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boroko is 17% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 PGK 33.38

$17.08 €14.72

-54.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 PGK 168

$69.2 €59.7

-43.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 PGK 25.89

$13.78 €11.87

-56.24%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PGK 10.06

$2.76 €2.37

-15.22%

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

$0.82 PGK 3.50

$2.79 €2.40

-70.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 PGK 3.35

$1.99 €1.72

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 PGK 10.11

$4.36 €3.76

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PGK 17.16

$4.74 €4.09

-15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 PGK 7.40

$1.29 €1.11

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 PGK 5.39

$2.05 €1.77

-38.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PGK 5.53

$1.99 €1.71

-35.18%

Eggs

$3.73 PGK 16.02

$3.39 €2.92

10.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 PGK 19.23

$18.81 €16.21

-76.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 27.56

$9.36 €8.07

-31.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 PGK 30.29

$19.12 €16.48

-63.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 PGK 16.99

$2.70 €2.32

46.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 PGK 12.30

$2.34 €2.02

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.46

$2.12 €1.83

36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.44

$2.85 €2.46

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 PGK 13.57

$1.97 €1.70

60.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PGK 4.02

$1.80 €1.55

-47.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 PGK 5.03

$1.45 €1.25

-19.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 PGK 2.11

$0.86 €0.74

-43.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 PGK 25.20

$6.78 €5.84

-13.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 PGK 22.49

$7.90 €6.81

-33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PGK 5.07

$1.39 €1.20

-15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 PGK 7.17

$2.37 €2.04

-29.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.14

$2.92 €2.52

-82.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.62 PGK 140

$28.69 €24.72

13.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 PGK 20.31

$4.46 €3.84

6.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 PGK 6.20

$2.05 €1.77

-29.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.95 PGK 51.3

$29.55 €25.46

-59.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 PGK 3.55

$1.82 €1.56

-54.40%

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

$23.0K PGK 98.6K

$38.8K €33.5K

-40.87%

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

$24.6K PGK 105.7K

$33.1K €28.5K

-25.66%

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

$67.0 PGK 288

$189 €163

-64.58%

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

$48.35 PGK 208

$22.80 €19.65

112.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$236 PGK 1,012

$37.59 €32.39

526.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.77 PGK 197

$57.7 €49.75

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.46 PGK 66.4

$20.74 €17.87

-25.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 PGK 31.12

$10.82 €9.33

-33.09%

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

$355 PGK 1,526

$728 €628

-51.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 PGK 10.5K

$14.8K €12.7K

-83.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.00 PGK 133

$88.6 €76.4

-65.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.57 PGK 62.6

$36.85 €31.75

-60.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 PGK 208

$102 €87.9

-52.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.45 PGK 122

$116 €100

-75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 PGK 15.2K

$1,569 €1,352

125.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 PGK 1,016

$1,218 €1,050

-80.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,536 PGK 15.2K

$2,795 €2,409

26.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 PGK 1,020

$1,975 €1,702

-87.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$363 PGK 1,558

$2,343 €2,019

-84.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

224.48%

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

Last update for Boroko: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,542 in Boroko and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 546% 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: $39.00 in Boroko vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $319 per month, with Boroko 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

Boroko vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boroko and Barcelona differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,119 vs $2,337 including rent). Boroko is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 546% 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: $3,542 in Boroko versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $355 in Boroko versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Boroko is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Boroko 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 Boroko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.