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: $455 in Chingola versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Chingola versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,097 in Chingola versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 82% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chingola is 67% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 ZMW 307

$18.39 €15.81

-12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.85 ZMW 494

$69.2 €59.5

-62.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

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

$0.54 ZMW 10.37

$3.02 €2.59

-82.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ZMW 7.30

$1.96 €1.69

-80.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 ZMW 12.35

$4.00 €3.44

-83.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ZMW 24.90

$4.76 €4.09

-72.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ZMW 35.94

$1.25 €1.07

50.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ZMW 24.37

$2.16 €1.86

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 ZMW 49.35

$1.69 €1.45

52.66%

Eggs

$1.93 ZMW 36.95

$4.93 €4.24

-60.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 ZMW 98.5

$9.61 €8.26

-46.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.85 ZMW 92.7

$19.34 €16.63

-74.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ZMW 39.72

$3.24 €2.78

-35.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ZMW 40.98

$2.18 €1.87

-1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 ZMW 39.60

$2.67 €2.30

-22.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ZMW 41.11

$2.77 €2.38

-22.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 ZMW 59.8

$2.21 €1.90

41.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.44

$2.19 €1.88

-27.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ZMW 16.85

$0.92 €0.79

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZMW 29.42

$7.12 €6.12

-78.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 ZMW 102

$8.14 €6.99

-34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

$1.50 €1.29

-56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

$2.78 €2.39

-70.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ZMW 11.45

$1.50 €1.29

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.57 ZMW 202

$34.89 €30.00

-69.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ZMW 26.96

$1.75 €1.50

-19.43%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

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

$30.9K €26.6K

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

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

$188 €161

-71.55%

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

$15.44 €13.27

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.59 ZMW 202

$57.2 €49.16

-81.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

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

$1,003 €862

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.26 ZMW 406

$89.2 €76.7

-76.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.00 ZMW 248

$40.87 €35.14

-68.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

$110 €94.5

-51.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ZMW 1,518

$123 €105

-35.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.7K ZMW 299.0K

$5,370 €4,617

191.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$115 ZMW 2,192

$2,402 €2,065

-95.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Chingola: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1993% 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: $26.00 in Chingola vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $332 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 449% in total monthly costs ($455 vs $2,495 including rent). Chingola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1993% 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $455 per month in Chingola versus $2,495 in Barcelona – a 449% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $455 in Chingola versus $2,495 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 449% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.