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: $1,143 in Cheras versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Cheras versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Cheras versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Cheras costs roughly 54% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheras is 16% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 MYR 15.58

$18.74 €16.33

-79.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.02 MYR 102

$69.5 €60.6

-63.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 19.99

$13.77 €12.00

-64.42%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MYR 12.63

$3.10 €2.70

-0.32%

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

$0.88 MYR 3.60

$2.83 €2.47

-68.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$1.88 €1.64

-72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 MYR 18.52

$3.98 €3.47

14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 MYR 26.41

$4.53 €3.95

42.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MYR 8.01

$1.27 €1.11

54.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.28

$2.16 €1.88

-51.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$1.76 €1.53

-14.77%

Eggs

$1.77 MYR 7.22

$5.13 €4.47

-65.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.37 MYR 75.0

$17.88 €15.59

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MYR 18.32

$9.65 €8.41

-53.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 MYR 43.25

$20.15 €17.56

-47.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.97

$3.25 €2.84

5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.94

$2.23 €1.94

-12.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.26

$2.60 €2.27

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.60

$2.76 €2.40

-41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.96

$2.21 €1.93

-0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$2.12 €1.85

-18.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$1.55 €1.35

-13.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.95 €0.83

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.65

$7.34 €6.40

-41.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.14 MYR 57.7

$8.05 €7.01

75.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.39

$1.54 €1.35

81.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$2.79 €2.43

7.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$3.11 €2.71

-76.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.17 MYR 49.70

$25.86 €22.54

-52.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$3.27 €2.85

-61.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$1.48 €1.29

-75.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.54 MYR 38.93

$34.27 €29.88

-72.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$1.73 €1.51

-54.34%

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

$42.1K MYR 171.7K

$36.4K €31.7K

15.63%

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

$34.3K MYR 139.8K

$30.5K €26.6K

12.15%

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

$49.68 MYR 203

$187 €163

-73.44%

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

$11.03 MYR 45.02

$15.14 €13.20

-27.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.11 MYR 115

$37.69 €32.85

-25.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MYR 216

$55.9 €48.76

-5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 MYR 25.93

$17.08 €14.89

-62.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.97

$11.41 €9.95

-57.14%

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

$162 MYR 661

$997 €869

-83.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,441 MYR 18.1K

$16.5K €14.4K

-73.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 MYR 265

$92.6 €80.8

-29.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 MYR 124

$41.22 €35.93

-26.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 333

$111 €96.9

-26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 MYR 352

$125 €109

-31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 MYR 1,687

$1,707 €1,488

-75.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 MYR 1,904

$1,286 €1,121

-63.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 MYR 2,814

$2,565 €2,236

-73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 MYR 1,984

$1,942 €1,693

-74.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 MYR 9,332

$7,647 €6,666

-70.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 MYR 4,423

$5,167 €4,504

-79.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 MYR 4,940

$2,348 €2,047

-48.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.16

28.48%

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

Last update for Cheras: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $413 in Cheras and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 94% 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: $25.00 in Cheras vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $336 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 117% in total monthly costs ($1,143 vs $2,476 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 94% 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: $413 in Cheras versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Cheras 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 24% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,143 in Cheras versus $2,476 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 117% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.