Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $340 in Chingola versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $580 in Chingola versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $820 in Chingola versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 86% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chingola is 75% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.64 ZMW 226

$17.58 €15.12

-28.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 ZMW 368

$68.4 €58.9

-69.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

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

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

$2.80 €2.41

-86.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

$2.06 €1.78

-85.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

$4.46 €3.84

-88.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

$4.61 €3.96

-77.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

$1.24 €1.07

-16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

$2.03 €1.74

-59.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

$1.92 €1.65

10.94%

Eggs

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

$3.31 €2.85

-67.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

$9.49 €8.16

-78.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

$19.16 €16.48

-80.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

$2.64 €2.27

-38.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

$2.45 €2.11

-33.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

$2.12 €1.82

-19.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

$2.85 €2.45

-43.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

$2.04 €1.75

19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

$1.85 €1.59

-35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

$0.84 €0.73

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

$7.14 €6.14

-82.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

$7.88 €6.78

-31.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

$1.38 €1.19

-63.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

$2.31 €1.99

-74.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

$2.07 €1.78

-78.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 ZMW 150

$29.18 €25.10

-71.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

$1.84 €1.58

-33.70%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$42.04 ZMW 750

$188 €162

-77.62%

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

$22.93 €19.73

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.23 ZMW 147

$57.4 €49.35

-85.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

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

$721 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 ZMW 291

$86.2 €74.2

-81.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.28 ZMW 184

$37.07 €31.89

-72.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.08 ZMW 733

$102 €87.8

-59.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

$116 €99.7

-46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

$5,189 €4,463

212.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$121 ZMW 2,161

$2,359 €2,029

-94.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Chingola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1849% 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: $21.00 in Chingola vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $318 per month, with Chingola 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

Chingola vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola and Barcelona differ by about 595% in total monthly costs ($340 vs $2,367 including rent). Chingola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 1849% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $340 per month in Chingola versus $2,367 in Barcelona – a 595% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $340 in Chingola versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola 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, Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 595% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.