Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Mahe versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,453 in Mahe versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,128 in Mahe versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Mahe costs roughly 25% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 33% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.43 SCR 223

$17.58 €15.14

-12.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 SCR 1,010

$68.4 €58.9

1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SCR 119

$14.06 €12.10

-41.54%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SCR 63.4

$2.78 €2.39

57.55%

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

$2.37 SCR 34.24

$2.80 €2.41

-15.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SCR 26.20

$2.06 €1.78

-12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SCR 119

$4.46 €3.84

84.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 SCR 75.0

$4.61 €3.97

12.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SCR 23.04

$1.24 €1.07

28.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SCR 15.79

$2.03 €1.75

-46.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 SCR 24.99

$1.92 €1.65

-9.90%

Eggs

$4.16 SCR 60.2

$3.31 €2.85

25.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 SCR 226

$18.43 €15.87

-15.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SCR 114

$9.49 €8.17

-16.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 SCR 181

$19.16 €16.50

-34.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.77

$2.64 €2.27

-21.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SCR 32.29

$2.12 €1.83

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SCR 74.5

$2.85 €2.45

80.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.83

$2.04 €1.75

-52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.84

$1.85 €1.59

-48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SCR 15.34

$1.47 €1.27

-27.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 SCR 176

$7.14 €6.15

70.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SCR 30.56

$1.38 €1.19

52.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SCR 29.81

$2.31 €1.99

-10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.24

$2.98 €2.57

-71.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 SCR 346

$29.26 €25.20

-18.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 SCR 148

$4.60 €3.96

122.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 SCR 46.39

$2.07 €1.78

55.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 SCR 148

$29.18 €25.13

-65.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 SCR 22.58

$1.84 €1.58

-15.22%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.2K

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

$84.0 SCR 1,216

$188 €162

-55.28%

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

$21.09 SCR 305

$22.93 €19.75

-8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 SCR 2,324

$36.71 €31.61

337.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 SCR 760

$57.4 €49.41

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 91.0

$11.19 €9.64

-43.88%

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

$721 €621

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 SCR 395

$86.2 €74.2

-68.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.82 SCR 157

$37.07 €31.92

-70.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.47 SCR 629

$102 €87.9

-57.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 SCR 799

$116 €99.8

-52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SCR 11.8K

$1,534 €1,321

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SCR 12.3K

$1,220 €1,051

-30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 SCR 25.2K

$2,696 €2,321

-35.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SCR 14.9K

$2,013 €1,734

-48.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 SCR 13.0K

$2,359 €2,032

-61.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Mahe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Mahe and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 163% 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: $70.0 in Mahe vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $318, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mahe vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahe and Barcelona differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,779 vs $2,367 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 163% 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: $815 in Mahe versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahe – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mahe runs roughly 22% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,779 in Mahe versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe 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, Mahe 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 Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.