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: $955 in George Town versus $2,434 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in George Town versus $3,473 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,256 in George Town versus $4,512 in Barcelona.

Living in George Town costs roughly 61% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 30% below, Barcelona is 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 MYR 13.65

$18.80 €16.09

-82.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.10 MYR 61.0

$69.5 €59.4

-78.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.86

$14.08 €12.05

-66.83%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MYR 10.67

$3.12 €2.66

-15.38%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$2.91 €2.49

-75.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.42

$1.87 €1.60

-81.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 MYR 10.07

$4.00 €3.42

-37.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.09

$4.64 €3.97

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.67

$1.19 €1.02

59.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.20

$2.13 €1.82

-51.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.75

$1.84 €1.57

-9.24%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.92

$5.13 €4.39

-56.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 MYR 53.3

$16.39 €14.02

-19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 MYR 18.16

$9.71 €8.31

-53.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 MYR 34.54

$19.65 €16.81

-56.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.88

$3.13 €2.68

-22.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.85

$2.18 €1.87

-33.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.11

$2.46 €2.11

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.91

$2.77 €2.37

-55.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.54

$2.12 €1.82

-58.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$2.23 €1.90

-62.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.09

$1.49 €1.27

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.22

$0.91 €0.78

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.15

$7.26 €6.21

-38.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.4

$8.29 €7.09

128.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 MYR 9.68

$1.54 €1.32

55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.25

$2.68 €2.30

41.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$3.07 €2.63

-84.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.27 MYR 45.52

$25.93 €22.18

-56.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.05

$3.34 €2.86

-62.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.88 €1.61

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 MYR 26.60

$34.98 €29.92

-81.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$1.74 €1.49

-56.90%

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

$42.3K MYR 171.0K

$36.5K €31.2K

15.91%

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

$28.8K MYR 116.2K

$31.5K €27.0K

-8.70%

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

$37.21 MYR 150

$183 €156

-79.65%

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

$8.15 MYR 32.91

$15.70 €13.43

-48.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 MYR 118

$36.73 €31.42

-20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 MYR 166

$53.5 €45.76

-23.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 MYR 19.98

$17.13 €14.65

-71.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MYR 19.15

$11.51 €9.85

-58.82%

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

$169 MYR 683

$952 €815

-82.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,038 MYR 20.4K

$16.2K €13.8K

-68.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MYR 215

$82.5 €70.5

-35.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 MYR 143

$40.47 €34.62

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 301

$108 €92.2

-30.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MYR 278

$125 €107

-45.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,041

$1,668 €1,426

-69.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,475

$1,288 €1,101

-71.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 MYR 3,749

$2,663 €2,278

-65.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 MYR 4,055

$1,904 €1,628

-47.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,513 €6,427

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,178 €4,429

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,091 MYR 4,407

$2,451 €2,096

-55.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

3.12

41.99%

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

Last update for George Town: August 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in George Town and $1,668 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 125% 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: $15.00 in George Town vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $328 per month, with George Town 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 155% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $2,434 including rent). George Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% 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: $505 in George Town versus $1,668 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $169 in George Town versus $952 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $955 in George Town versus $2,434 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes George Town 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, 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.