Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Cheras versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,289 in Cheras versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,719 in Cheras versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheras is 35% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$17.15 €14.86

-79.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.4

$68.1 €58.9

-72.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$13.64 €11.82

-65.76%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.91

$2.78 €2.41

5.04%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$2.82 €2.44

-71.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$1.96 €1.70

-77.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 19.30

$4.43 €3.84

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.56

$4.61 €3.99

41.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.27 €1.10

47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$2.13 €1.85

-53.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.29

$1.99 €1.72

-34.67%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.56

$3.37 €2.92

-37.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.9

$18.96 €16.42

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.22

$9.53 €8.26

-60.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 MYR 31.55

$18.73 €16.22

-58.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.21

$2.65 €2.29

3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$2.35 €2.04

-25.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$2.09 €1.81

22.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.73 €2.37

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$1.96 €1.70

-25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$1.81 €1.56

-22.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$1.51 €1.31

-41.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.89 €0.77

-38.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.59

$6.78 €5.87

-36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 MYR 56.4

$7.92 €6.86

74.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$1.37 €1.19

99.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 16.00

$2.40 €2.08

63.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$2.91 €2.52

-84.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 48.97

$28.66 €24.82

-58.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$4.58 €3.96

-77.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$2.04 €1.77

-49.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 MYR 37.34

$28.72 €24.87

-68.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$1.82 €1.58

-74.73%

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

$49.6K MYR 202.6K

$39.3K €34.0K

26.19%

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

$31.7K MYR 129.3K

$32.5K €28.1K

-2.46%

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

$41.39 MYR 169

$187 €162

-77.82%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.88

$22.29 €19.30

-59.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MYR 124

$36.37 €31.50

-16.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 MYR 169

$57.5 €49.82

-28.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.24

$20.74 €17.96

-71.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$10.77 €9.33

-54.78%

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

$185 MYR 756

$725 €628

-74.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

$15.2K €13.1K

-53.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$87.9 €76.1

-25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 140

$36.81 €31.88

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$103 €89.6

-30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.69 MYR 199

$119 €103

-58.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$1,524 €1,319

-74.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 945

$1,227 €1,062

-81.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,672

$2,727 €2,362

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,741

$1,984 €1,718

-78.51%

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)

$1,191 MYR 4,865

$2,393 €2,072

-50.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

3.39

20.06%

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

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Cheras and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 101% 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: $19.00 in Cheras vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $319 per month, with Cheras 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

Cheras vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheras and Barcelona differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $2,359 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 101% 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: $382 in Cheras versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $185 in Cheras 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 34% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Cheras versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cheras but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cheras 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, Cheras 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 Cheras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.