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: $829 in Cheras versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,293 in Cheras versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Cheras versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Cheras costs roughly 65% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheras is 38% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 MYR 14.13

$17.08 €14.72

-79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$69.2 €59.7

-72.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$13.78 €11.87

-66.69%

Cappuccino

$3.03 MYR 12.27

$2.76 €2.37

9.78%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$2.79 €2.40

-71.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$1.99 €1.72

-77.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 MYR 19.38

$4.36 €3.76

9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 MYR 26.94

$4.74 €4.09

40.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.28

$1.29 €1.11

38.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.77

$2.05 €1.77

-54.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.99 €1.71

-36.68%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.37

$3.39 €2.92

-39.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 MYR 62.6

$18.81 €16.21

-17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.50

$9.36 €8.07

-61.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 MYR 30.26

$19.12 €16.48

-60.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.70 €2.32

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$2.34 €2.02

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.92

$2.12 €1.83

15.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$2.85 €2.46

-55.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.16

$1.97 €1.70

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.43

$1.80 €1.55

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.45 €1.25

-35.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.86 €0.74

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$6.78 €5.84

-37.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 58.8

$7.90 €6.81

83.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.48

$1.39 €1.20

103.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.33

$2.37 €2.04

59.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$2.92 €2.52

-83.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.44

$28.69 €24.72

-58.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.95

$4.46 €3.84

-78.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$2.05 €1.77

-50.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 MYR 38.47

$29.55 €25.46

-67.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.82 €1.56

-73.08%

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

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

$38.8K €33.5K

27.13%

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

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

$33.1K €28.5K

-4.15%

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

$41.77 MYR 169

$189 €163

-77.93%

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

$9.30 MYR 37.72

$22.80 €19.65

-59.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 MYR 123

$37.59 €32.39

-19.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 MYR 166

$57.7 €49.75

-29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$20.74 €17.87

-72.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MYR 20.62

$10.82 €9.33

-52.96%

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

$190 MYR 769

$728 €628

-73.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

$14.8K €12.7K

-53.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MYR 262

$88.6 €76.4

-27.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 MYR 139

$36.85 €31.75

-6.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 MYR 300

$102 €87.9

-27.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.61 MYR 197

$116 €100

-58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,507

$1,569 €1,352

-76.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 961

$1,218 €1,050

-80.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,661

$2,795 €2,409

-76.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 MYR 1,703

$1,975 €1,702

-78.74%

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)

$1,175 MYR 4,765

$2,343 €2,019

-49.85%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Cheras and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 99% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 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 182% in total monthly costs ($829 vs $2,337 including rent). Cheras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 99% 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: $372 in Cheras versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $190 in Cheras 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 35% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $829 in Cheras versus $2,337 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 182% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.