Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $348 in Malindi versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $571 in Malindi versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $794 in Malindi versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Malindi costs roughly 85% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 KES 274

$17.08 €14.72

-87.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.55 KES 3,962

$69.2 €59.7

-55.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

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

$1.60 KES 207

$2.79 €2.40

-42.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 KES 119

$1.99 €1.72

-54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 KES 463

$4.36 €3.76

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KES 461

$4.74 €4.09

-24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 KES 126

$1.29 €1.11

-24.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 164

$1.99 €1.71

-36.18%

Eggs

$2.92 KES 379

$3.39 €2.92

-13.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 KES 1,535

$18.81 €16.21

-37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 KES 785

$9.36 €8.07

-35.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 662

$19.12 €16.48

-73.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

$2.70 €2.32

12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.34 €2.02

-66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 KES 347

$2.12 €1.83

25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$2.85 €2.46

-76.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$1.97 €1.70

-61.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.0

$1.80 €1.55

-61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.0

$0.86 €0.74

-44.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.82 €1.56

-25.27%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

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

$33.1K €28.5K

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

$76.8 KES 9,957

$189 €163

-59.41%

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

$22.80 €19.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 KES 3,993

$37.59 €32.39

-18.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 KES 5,021

$57.7 €49.75

-32.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

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

$728 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.8K

$2,795 €2,409

-85.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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 Malindi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Malindi vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $319 per month, with Malindi 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

Malindi vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malindi and Barcelona differ by about 571% in total monthly costs ($348 vs $2,337 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $522 in Malindi and $3,505 in Barcelona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $348 per month in Malindi versus $2,337 in Barcelona – a 571% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $348 in Malindi versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Malindi but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Malindi 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, Malindi 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 Malindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 571% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.