Cost of Living Comparison Between Madaba and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Madaba and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Madaba versus $2,441 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,363 in Madaba versus $3,477 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,974 in Madaba versus $4,513 in Barcelona.

Living in Madaba costs roughly 69% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madaba is 44% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 JOD 4.05

$18.35 €16.35

-68.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.67 JOD 34.44

$66.9 €59.6

-27.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 JOD 4.40

$13.75 €12.25

-54.76%

Cappuccino

$3.62 JOD 2.56

$3.17 €2.82

14.20%

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

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$2.88 €2.56

-77.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.95 €1.73

-68.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 JOD 3.02

$3.89 €3.46

9.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 JOD 4.86

$4.50 €4.01

52.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.28 €1.14

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$2.07 €1.84

-65.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JOD 1.09

$1.79 €1.60

-13.97%

Eggs

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$5.04 €4.49

-67.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 JOD 3.03

$17.29 €15.41

-75.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 JOD 4.10

$9.41 €8.38

-38.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 JOD 9.06

$19.40 €17.29

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 JOD 1.86

$3.18 €2.83

-17.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$2.09 €1.86

-33.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 JOD 1.30

$2.64 €2.36

-30.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$2.83 €2.52

-75.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$2.20 €1.96

-69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$2.14 €1.91

-65.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 JOD 0.24

$1.59 €1.42

-79.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.93 €0.83

-36.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 JOD 1.51

$7.25 €6.46

-70.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.54 JOD 15.24

$8.00 €7.13

169.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.25 JOD 3.72

$1.47 €1.31

257.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 JOD 3.56

$2.77 €2.46

81.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$2.94 €2.62

-69.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.5 JOD 49.20

$25.97 €23.15

167.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 JOD 0.45

$3.06 €2.73

-79.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.51 €1.35

-5.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$34.08 €30.38

-79.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.71 €1.53

-18.71%

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

$34.8K JOD 24.6K

$36.3K €32.3K

-3.96%

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

$34.8K JOD 24.6K

$30.6K €27.3K

13.47%

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

$70.5 JOD 49.88

$183 €163

-61.57%

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

$13.85 JOD 9.80

$14.76 €13.16

-6.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 JOD 15.02

$36.68 €32.69

-42.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.54 JOD 20.20

$55.8 €49.77

-48.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$69.2 JOD 48.94

$16.50 €14.71

319.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 JOD 7.87

$11.30 €10.07

-1.50%

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

$42.69 JOD 30.21

$983 €876

-95.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,451 JOD 6,689

$16.7K €14.9K

-43.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 JOD 44.87

$91.9 €81.9

-31.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 JOD 40.66

$40.15 €35.78

43.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 JOD 50.0

$108 €96.7

-34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.54 JOD 29.40

$122 €109

-66.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 JOD 148

$1,689 €1,506

-87.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.66 JOD 30.19

$1,323 €1,179

-96.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 JOD 301

$2,617 €2,333

-83.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 JOD 150

$1,924 €1,715

-89.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 €6,539

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,253 €4,682

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 JOD 355

$2,313 €2,062

-78.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

3.16

115.51%

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

Last update for Madaba: September 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $209 in Madaba and $1,689 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 361% 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: $49.00 in Madaba vs $67.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $328 per month, with Madaba 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

Madaba vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madaba and Barcelona differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($752 vs $2,441 including rent). Madaba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 361% 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: $209 in Madaba versus $1,689 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $42.69 in Madaba versus $983 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $752 in Madaba versus $2,441 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madaba but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Madaba 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, Madaba 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 Madaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.