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: $320 in Manzini versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $471 in Manzini versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $623 in Manzini versus $4,599 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 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

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

$2.79 €2.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 SZL 18.38

$1.29 €1.11

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 SZL 13.39

$2.05 €1.77

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SZL 27.41

$1.99 €1.71

-14.57%

Eggs

$1.06 SZL 17.13

$3.39 €2.92

-68.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SZL 110

$18.81 €16.21

-63.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 SZL 44.20

$9.36 €8.07

-70.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.70 SZL 27.41

$19.12 €16.48

-91.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 SZL 19.82

$2.70 €2.32

-54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 SZL 8.70

$2.34 €2.02

-76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 SZL 11.53

$2.12 €1.83

-66.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 SZL 7.02

$2.85 €2.46

-84.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 SZL 8.61

$1.97 €1.70

-73.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 SZL 6.97

$1.80 €1.55

-76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SZL 6.01

$1.45 €1.25

-74.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SZL 9.76

$0.86 €0.74

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 SZL 45.96

$6.78 €5.84

-58.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.20 SZL 51.7

$7.90 €6.81

-59.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SZL 8.78

$1.39 €1.20

-61.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 SZL 11.30

$2.37 €2.04

-70.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 SZL 8.83

$2.92 €2.52

-81.16%

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)

$1.20 SZL 19.33

$1.82 €1.56

-34.07%

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

$15.5K SZL 250.9K

$38.8K €33.5K

-60.00%

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

$14.8K SZL 239.8K

$33.1K €28.5K

-55.15%

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

$66.3 SZL 1,071

$189 €163

-64.95%

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

$11.42 SZL 185

$22.80 €19.65

-49.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 SZL 458

$37.59 €32.39

-24.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 SZL 55.6

$10.82 €9.33

-68.21%

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)

$152 SZL 2,455

$1,569 €1,352

-90.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.9 SZL 1,582

$1,218 €1,050

-91.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 SZL 5,523

$2,795 €2,409

-87.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SZL 4,061

$1,975 €1,702

-87.28%

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)

$400 SZL 6,458

$2,343 €2,019

-82.94%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Manzini and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 486% 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 631% in total monthly costs ($320 vs $2,337 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 486% 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: $152 in Manzini versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 201% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $320 per month in Manzini versus $2,337 in Barcelona – a 631% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $320 in Manzini versus $2,337 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 631% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.