Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $319 in Manzini versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $472 in Manzini versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $625 in Manzini versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Manzini costs roughly 86% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzini is 76% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.96

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.89

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.42

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

$2.82 €2.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.01

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 SZL 19.61

$1.27 €1.11

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 SZL 14.16

$2.13 €1.86

-60.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 SZL 28.16

$1.99 €1.73

-15.08%

Eggs

$1.07 SZL 17.79

$3.37 €2.93

-68.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SZL 112

$18.96 €16.53

-64.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 SZL 45.79

$9.53 €8.31

-71.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.72 SZL 28.67

$18.73 €16.33

-90.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 SZL 21.58

$2.65 €2.31

-50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 SZL 9.72

$2.35 €2.05

-75.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 SZL 11.79

$2.09 €1.82

-66.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 SZL 7.75

$2.73 €2.38

-82.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 SZL 9.57

$1.96 €1.71

-70.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 SZL 7.31

$1.81 €1.58

-75.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SZL 6.78

$1.51 €1.32

-72.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SZL 9.87

$0.89 €0.78

-33.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 SZL 47.45

$6.78 €5.91

-57.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.18 SZL 53.0

$7.92 €6.90

-59.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SZL 9.10

$1.37 €1.19

-59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 SZL 12.48

$2.40 €2.09

-68.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 SZL 9.01

$2.91 €2.54

-81.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 SZL 20.71

$1.82 €1.59

-31.87%

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

$15.7K SZL 261.5K

$39.3K €34.3K

-60.04%

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

$14.3K SZL 238.3K

$32.5K €28.3K

-55.92%

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

$65.9 SZL 1,097

$187 €163

-64.69%

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

$11.17 SZL 186

$22.29 €19.43

-49.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 SZL 459

$36.37 €31.71

-24.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €50.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 SZL 57.0

$10.77 €9.39

-68.25%

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

$725 €632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €32.09

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$155 SZL 2,581

$1,524 €1,328

-89.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 SZL 1,641

$1,227 €1,070

-91.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 SZL 5,630

$2,727 €2,378

-87.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 SZL 4,216

$1,984 €1,730

-87.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,571

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 SZL 6,423

$2,393 €2,086

-83.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

194.99%

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

Last update for Manzini: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $155 in Manzini and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 520% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Manzini vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzini and Barcelona differ by about 640% in total monthly costs ($319 vs $2,359 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 520% 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: $155 in Manzini versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 197% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $319 per month in Manzini versus $2,359 in Barcelona – a 640% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $319 in Manzini versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini 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, Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 640% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.