Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $844 in Mardan versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 81% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mardan is 68% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

$17.08 €14.72

-87.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$69.2 €59.7

-79.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$13.78 €11.87

-62.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$2.76 €2.37

-27.54%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$2.79 €2.40

-88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$1.99 €1.72

-88.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$1.29 €1.11

-37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$2.05 €1.77

-67.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.99 €1.71

-57.29%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$3.39 €2.92

-66.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$18.81 €16.21

-66.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$9.36 €8.07

-74.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$19.12 €16.48

-82.95%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$2.70 €2.32

-74.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$2.34 €2.02

-76.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$2.12 €1.83

-55.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$2.85 €2.46

-88.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$1.97 €1.70

-87.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$1.80 €1.55

-81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$1.45 €1.25

-77.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$0.86 €0.74

-86.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$6.78 €5.84

-79.65%

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)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$2.92 €2.52

-94.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$28.69 €24.72

-74.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$4.46 €3.84

-91.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.05 €1.77

-81.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$29.55 €25.46

-94.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$1.82 €1.56

-47.80%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$38.8K €33.5K

-45.96%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$33.1K €28.5K

-21.11%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$189 €163

-40.78%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$22.80 €19.65

-75.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$37.59 €32.39

-49.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$57.7 €49.75

-78.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$20.74 €17.87

-72.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$10.82 €9.33

-61.83%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$728 €628

-97.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$14.8K €12.7K

-92.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$88.6 €76.4

-75.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$36.85 €31.75

-22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$102 €87.9

-14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$116 €100

-84.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$1,569 €1,352

-95.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$1,218 €1,050

-95.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$2,795 €2,409

-94.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$1,975 €1,702

-94.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$7,754 €6,680

-90.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$5,176 €4,460

-91.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$2,343 €2,019

-88.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

3.39

495.87%

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

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 776% 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: $14.00 in Mardan vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $79.0 vs $319 per month, with Mardan 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

Mardan vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan and Barcelona differ by about 439% in total monthly costs ($433 vs $2,337 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 776% 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: $73.9 in Mardan versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.76 in Mardan versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 302% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan 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, Mardan 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 Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 439% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.