Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $868 in Kedah versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kedah versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Kedah versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 63% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 35% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 12.25

$17.08 €14.80

-82.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 MYR 86.9

$69.2 €60.0

-69.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.36

$13.78 €11.95

-68.94%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.96

$2.76 €2.39

6.88%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$2.79 €2.42

-73.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$1.99 €1.73

-81.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.84

$4.36 €3.78

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.19

$4.74 €4.11

-5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.29 €1.12

40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 MYR 3.67

$2.05 €1.78

-55.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.99 €1.72

-39.20%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$3.39 €2.94

-37.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.2

$18.81 €16.31

-18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.27

$9.36 €8.12

-46.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.5

$19.12 €16.57

-23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.70

$2.70 €2.34

6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$2.34 €2.03

-49.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.60

$2.12 €1.84

23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.82

$2.85 €2.47

-23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.97 €1.71

-39.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.80 €1.56

-35.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.92

$1.45 €1.26

-33.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.86 €0.74

-44.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.76

$6.78 €5.87

-39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 MYR 79.5

$7.90 €6.85

147.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.70

$1.39 €1.20

89.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.67

$2.37 €2.06

42.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$2.92 €2.53

-76.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.74

$28.69 €24.86

-58.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$4.46 €3.86

-84.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$2.05 €1.78

-77.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.34

$29.55 €25.61

-76.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$1.82 €1.57

-73.08%

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

$33.5K MYR 135.9K

$38.8K €33.7K

-13.77%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.0K

$33.1K €28.7K

-17.35%

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

$38.49 MYR 156

$189 €164

-79.66%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.52

$22.80 €19.76

-56.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.96 MYR 48.55

$37.59 €32.58

-68.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MYR 148

$57.7 €50.1

-36.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.76

$20.74 €17.98

-71.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.41

$10.82 €9.38

-74.03%

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

$238 MYR 964

$728 €631

-67.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

$14.8K €12.8K

-57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$88.6 €76.8

-37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 MYR 115

$36.85 €31.94

-23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 252

$102 €88.4

-39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$116 €101

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,541

$1,569 €1,360

-75.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,094

$1,218 €1,056

-77.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,622

$2,795 €2,423

-76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,886

$1,975 €1,712

-76.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,964 MYR 7,968

$7,754 €6,720

-74.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MYR 3,882

$5,176 €4,486

-81.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 MYR 5,363

$2,343 €2,031

-43.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.39

22.71%

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

Last update for Kedah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Kedah and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 77% 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 Kedah vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $319 per month, with Kedah 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

Kedah vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Barcelona differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $2,337 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 77% 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: $380 in Kedah versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah 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 17% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $868 in Kedah versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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, Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.