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: $1,126 in Boroko versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Boroko versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,004 in Boroko versus $4,638 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 15% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 PGK 35.36

$17.15 €14.86

-53.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 PGK 172

$68.1 €58.9

-42.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PGK 25.72

$13.64 €11.82

-57.26%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PGK 10.12

$2.78 €2.41

-17.63%

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

$0.82 PGK 3.61

$2.82 €2.44

-70.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 PGK 3.47

$1.96 €1.70

-59.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 PGK 10.90

$4.43 €3.84

-44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 PGK 18.08

$4.61 €3.99

-11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 PGK 7.54

$1.27 €1.10

34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 PGK 5.74

$2.13 €1.85

-38.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PGK 5.84

$1.99 €1.72

-33.67%

Eggs

$3.94 PGK 17.40

$3.37 €2.92

16.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 PGK 19.42

$18.96 €16.42

-76.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 PGK 28.13

$9.53 €8.26

-33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 PGK 30.44

$18.73 €16.22

-63.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 PGK 17.37

$2.65 €2.29

48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 PGK 13.06

$2.35 €2.04

25.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 PGK 13.22

$2.09 €1.81

43.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 PGK 12.77

$2.73 €2.37

5.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 PGK 14.05

$1.96 €1.70

62.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PGK 4.11

$1.81 €1.56

-48.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 PGK 5.16

$1.51 €1.31

-22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 PGK 2.06

$0.89 €0.77

-47.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 PGK 26.89

$6.78 €5.87

-10.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 PGK 22.42

$7.92 €6.86

-35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 PGK 5.44

$1.37 €1.19

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PGK 7.30

$2.40 €2.08

-30.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.07

$2.91 €2.52

-83.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.62 PGK 144

$28.66 €24.82

13.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 PGK 21.32

$4.58 €3.96

5.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 PGK 6.41

$2.04 €1.77

-28.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 PGK 52.0

$28.72 €24.87

-58.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 PGK 3.81

$1.82 €1.58

-52.75%

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

$22.8K PGK 100.8K

$39.3K €34.0K

-41.92%

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

$24.3K PGK 107.3K

$32.5K €28.1K

-25.16%

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

$66.2 PGK 292

$187 €162

-64.51%

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

$46.81 PGK 207

$22.29 €19.30

110.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$236 PGK 1,041

$36.37 €31.50

548.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.07 PGK 199

$57.5 €49.82

-21.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 PGK 68.5

$20.74 €17.96

-25.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 PGK 31.62

$10.77 €9.33

-33.43%

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

$365 PGK 1,611

$725 €628

-49.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,428 PGK 10.7K

$15.2K €13.1K

-83.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.84 PGK 140

$87.9 €76.1

-63.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.61 PGK 64.5

$36.81 €31.88

-60.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.19 PGK 208

$103 €89.6

-54.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.51 PGK 126

$119 €103

-75.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,607 PGK 15.9K

$1,524 €1,319

136.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PGK 1,043

$1,227 €1,062

-80.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,633 PGK 16.0K

$2,727 €2,362

33.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 PGK 1,046

$1,984 €1,718

-88.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$363 PGK 1,603

$2,393 €2,072

-84.82%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,607 in Boroko and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 559% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 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 110% in total monthly costs ($1,126 vs $2,359 including rent). Boroko is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 559% 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: $3,607 in Boroko versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $365 in Boroko versus $725 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.

At $1,126 in Boroko versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Boroko but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Boroko 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, 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 110% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.