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: $895 in Boroko versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Boroko versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,703 in Boroko versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Boroko costs roughly 64% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boroko is 35% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 PGK 31.39

$18.74 €16.33

-61.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.76 PGK 155

$69.5 €60.6

-48.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PGK 23.93

$13.77 €12.00

-59.99%

Cappuccino

$2.55 PGK 11.07

$3.10 €2.70

-17.74%

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

$0.73 PGK 3.16

$2.83 €2.47

-74.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PGK 2.82

$1.88 €1.64

-65.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PGK 11.94

$3.98 €3.47

-30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 PGK 15.41

$4.53 €3.95

-21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PGK 7.02

$1.27 €1.11

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 PGK 5.06

$2.16 €1.88

-46.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PGK 5.42

$1.76 €1.53

-28.98%

Eggs

$3.61 PGK 15.68

$5.13 €4.47

-29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 PGK 21.67

$17.88 €15.59

-72.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 PGK 22.07

$9.65 €8.41

-47.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 PGK 28.95

$20.15 €17.56

-66.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 PGK 18.03

$3.25 €2.84

27.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 PGK 13.13

$2.23 €1.94

35.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 PGK 12.33

$2.60 €2.27

9.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 PGK 11.46

$2.76 €2.40

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 PGK 12.47

$2.21 €1.93

29.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PGK 4.04

$2.12 €1.85

-56.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 PGK 4.82

$1.55 €1.35

-28.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PGK 1.89

$0.95 €0.83

-54.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 PGK 23.98

$7.34 €6.40

-24.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 PGK 21.80

$8.05 €7.01

-37.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 PGK 4.99

$1.54 €1.35

-25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PGK 6.94

$2.79 €2.43

-42.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.03

$3.11 €2.71

-84.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.66 PGK 133

$25.86 €22.54

18.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 PGK 19.21

$3.27 €2.85

35.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 PGK 5.94

$1.48 €1.29

-7.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 PGK 48.39

$34.27 €29.88

-67.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 PGK 3.29

$1.73 €1.51

-56.07%

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

$21.2K PGK 91.9K

$36.4K €31.7K

-41.83%

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

$17.5K PGK 76.0K

$30.5K €26.6K

-42.73%

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

$63.1 PGK 274

$187 €163

-66.27%

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

$23.42 PGK 102

$15.14 €13.20

54.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.3 PGK 401

$37.69 €32.85

144.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 PGK 184

$55.9 €48.76

-24.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.39 PGK 62.5

$17.08 €14.89

-15.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 PGK 29.58

$11.41 €9.95

-40.32%

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

$341 PGK 1,483

$997 €869

-65.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,221 PGK 9,650

$16.5K €14.4K

-86.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.27 PGK 145

$92.6 €80.8

-64.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 PGK 59.4

$41.22 €35.93

-66.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.18 PGK 196

$111 €96.9

-59.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.12 PGK 118

$125 €109

-78.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,340 PGK 14.5K

$1,707 €1,488

95.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 PGK 971

$1,286 €1,121

-82.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,407 PGK 14.8K

$2,565 €2,236

32.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PGK 977

$1,942 €1,693

-88.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 PGK 1,544

$2,348 €2,047

-84.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

248.10%

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

Last update for Boroko: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,340 in Boroko and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 561% 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: $36.00 in Boroko vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $336 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 177% in total monthly costs ($895 vs $2,476 including rent). Boroko is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 561% lower in Barcelona. 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: $3,340 in Boroko versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $341 in Boroko versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% 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 177% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.