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: $845 in Kedah versus $2,336 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Kedah versus $3,475 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Kedah versus $4,614 in Barcelona.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 64% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 37% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 11.73

$17.45 €14.88

-82.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.99 MYR 82.9

$69.8 €59.6

-69.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 MYR 16.81

$13.91 €11.86

-69.45%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.37

$2.74 €2.34

5.11%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$2.70 €2.30

-74.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$2.03 €1.73

-82.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 MYR 16.91

$4.51 €3.85

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.34

$4.61 €3.93

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$1.28 €1.09

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MYR 3.56

$2.10 €1.79

-57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.99 €1.70

-41.71%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.42

$3.45 €2.95

-38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.0

$18.61 €15.87

-19.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.37

$9.41 €8.03

-45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 58.2

$18.70 €15.95

-21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.34

$2.61 €2.22

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$2.39 €2.04

-49.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$2.19 €1.86

22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.24

$2.81 €2.40

-25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.65

$2.03 €1.73

-41.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.80

$1.87 €1.60

-34.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.75

$1.45 €1.24

-34.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.92 €0.79

-47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.57

$6.82 €5.82

-38.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 MYR 77.0

$7.71 €6.58

152.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.47

$1.38 €1.18

92.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.89

$2.33 €1.99

51.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$2.88 €2.46

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.89 MYR 46.98

$29.04 €24.77

-59.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$4.43 €3.78

-84.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$2.14 €1.82

-78.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 MYR 27.47

$28.96 €24.71

-76.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.90 €1.62

-73.68%

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

$33.2K MYR 131.3K

$37.9K €32.3K

-12.27%

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

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

$33.3K €28.4K

-16.11%

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

$38.58 MYR 152

$186 €158

-79.22%

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

$10.25 MYR 40.50

$22.17 €18.91

-53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 MYR 46.35

$36.52 €31.15

-67.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 146

$58.4 €49.81

-36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.85

$20.75 €17.70

-72.10%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 MYR 11.33

$11.10 €9.47

-74.14%

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

$243 MYR 958

$705 €601

-65.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 MYR 24.6K

$15.2K €13.0K

-59.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MYR 213

$86.4 €73.7

-37.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 MYR 115

$36.88 €31.46

-21.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$104 €88.8

-41.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 MYR 209

$115 €98.4

-54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,528

$1,538 €1,312

-74.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,061

$1,242 €1,060

-78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,519

$2,728 €2,327

-76.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,857

$2,011 €1,716

-76.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,647 MYR 6,507

$7,155 €6,104

-76.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MYR 3,983

$4,843 €4,131

-79.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,358 MYR 5,364

$2,474 €2,111

-45.11%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Kedah and $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 82% 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 in Kedah vs $70 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $318 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 177% in total monthly costs ($845 vs $2,336 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 82% 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: $387 in Kedah versus $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Kedah versus $705 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 $845 in Kedah versus $2,336 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 177% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.