Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,572 in George Town versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,899 in George Town versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,225 in George Town versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in George Town is roughly 96% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: George Town 240% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 KYD 25.09

$17.08 €14.72

79.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 KYD 120

$69.2 €59.7

111.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.70 KYD 12.88

$13.78 €11.87

13.93%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.67

$2.76 €2.37

150.36%

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

$3.47 KYD 2.85

$2.79 €2.40

24.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KYD 2.20

$1.99 €1.72

34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 KYD 7.25

$4.36 €3.76

102.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.46 KYD 6.93

$4.74 €4.09

78.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 KYD 2.45

$1.29 €1.11

131.01%

White Bread (500g)

$5.37 KYD 4.40

$2.05 €1.77

161.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 KYD 4.83

$1.99 €1.71

195.98%

Eggs

$10.24 KYD 8.39

$3.39 €2.92

202.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 KYD 9.54

$18.81 €16.21

-38.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.03 KYD 13.14

$9.36 €8.07

71.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 KYD 13.63

$19.12 €16.48

-13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$10.55 KYD 8.65

$2.70 €2.32

290.74%

Banana (1kg)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$2.34 €2.02

98.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.71 KYD 6.33

$2.12 €1.83

263.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$2.85 €2.46

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$5.43 KYD 4.45

$1.97 €1.70

175.63%

Onion (1kg)

$5.52 KYD 4.53

$1.80 €1.55

206.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.30 KYD 5.16

$1.45 €1.25

334.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 KYD 2.42

$0.86 €0.74

243.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 KYD 11.77

$6.78 €5.84

111.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.08 KYD 20.56

$7.90 €6.81

217.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 KYD 3.24

$1.39 €1.20

184.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 KYD 4.41

$2.37 €2.04

127.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 KYD 1.95

$2.92 €2.52

-18.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.94 KYD 24.55

$28.69 €24.72

4.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.78 KYD 14.58

$4.46 €3.84

298.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.98 KYD 4.08

$2.05 €1.77

142.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.3 KYD 48.63

$29.55 €25.46

100.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 KYD 1.39

$1.82 €1.56

-6.59%

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

$39.6K KYD 32.4K

$38.8K €33.5K

1.89%

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

$34.3K KYD 28.1K

$33.1K €28.5K

3.70%

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

$396 KYD 324

$189 €163

109.09%

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

$97.9 KYD 80.3

$22.80 €19.65

329.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 89.9

$37.59 €32.39

191.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 KYD 85.4

$57.7 €49.75

80.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 KYD 33.22

$20.74 €17.87

95.32%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 KYD 14.70

$10.82 €9.33

65.62%

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

$1,764 KYD 1,446

$728 €628

142.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 20.0K

$14.8K €12.7K

64.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 KYD 74.7

$88.6 €76.4

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.0 KYD 59.0

$36.85 €31.75

95.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 KYD 124

$102 €87.9

47.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 KYD 119

$116 €100

24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 KYD 2,326

$1,569 €1,352

80.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 KYD 2,006

$1,218 €1,050

100.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,518 KYD 4,525

$2,795 €2,409

97.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,692 KYD 3,847

$1,975 €1,702

137.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,643 KYD 7,088

$7,754 €6,680

11.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,296 KYD 1,883

$5,176 €4,460

-55.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,728 KYD 6,337

$2,343 €2,019

229.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

3.39

143.36%

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

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,836 in George Town and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 230% 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: $146 in George Town vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $630 vs $319 per month, with Barcelona 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

George Town vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town and Barcelona differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($4,572 vs $2,337 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 230% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,836 in George Town versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in George Town 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 97% higher in George Town. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, George Town 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.