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: $955 in Kedah versus $2,482 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Kedah versus $3,548 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Kedah versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 62% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 31% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.98

$18.42 €15.88

-81.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.37 MYR 50.3

$69.4 €59.8

-82.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MYR 20.00

$14.05 €12.11

-64.98%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.37

$3.11 €2.68

-10.29%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.94

$2.96 €2.55

-67.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$1.95 €1.69

-83.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$3.99 €3.44

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MYR 17.67

$4.62 €3.98

-6.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 MYR 9.97

$1.32 €1.14

85.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$2.11 €1.82

-37.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.83 €1.57

-7.10%

Eggs

$2.59 MYR 10.53

$5.16 €4.45

-49.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 MYR 62.9

$17.56 €15.14

-11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 20.98

$9.50 €8.19

-45.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 39.94

$19.93 €17.18

-50.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.68

$3.17 €2.73

-24.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$2.21 €1.91

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.12

$2.61 €2.25

-14.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$2.85 €2.46

-57.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$2.17 €1.87

-56.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.28

$2.11 €1.81

-61.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.62 €1.39

-52.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.88 €0.76

-21.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MYR 18.22

$7.17 €6.18

-37.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 MYR 87.8

$8.33 €7.18

158.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.14

$1.50 €1.29

66.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.68

$2.75 €2.37

31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$3.14 €2.70

-77.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.48

$26.25 €22.63

-53.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$3.22 €2.78

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.51 €1.30

-66.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MYR 27.41

$35.26 €30.39

-80.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$1.75 €1.51

-63.43%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

$36.7K €31.6K

15.75%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.5K

$31.7K €27.3K

-11.16%

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

$50.1 MYR 204

$187 €161

-73.22%

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

$8.22 MYR 33.46

$15.10 €13.01

-45.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 MYR 128

$37.60 €32.41

-16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 MYR 169

$55.5 €47.83

-24.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.61 MYR 26.88

$16.74 €14.43

-60.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MYR 18.99

$11.71 €10.09

-60.12%

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

$175 MYR 711

$1,011 €871

-82.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$17.1K €14.7K

-71.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 MYR 224

$91.4 €78.8

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 144

$41.00 €35.34

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MYR 303

$111 €95.3

-32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MYR 287

$126 €109

-44.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,720

$1,704 €1,469

-75.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MYR 1,355

$1,299 €1,120

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 MYR 2,835

$2,588 €2,231

-73.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MYR 2,002

$1,929 €1,663

-74.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MYR 8,347

$7,732 €6,665

-73.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MYR 4,601

$5,384 €4,641

-78.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,313 MYR 5,343

$2,374 €2,046

-44.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

3.16

40.19%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Kedah and $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 81% 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: $12.00 in Kedah vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $333 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 160% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $2,482 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 81% 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: $423 in Kedah versus $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $175 in Kedah versus $1,011 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $955 in Kedah versus $2,482 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 160% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.