Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $346 in Maroua versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $518 in Maroua versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $689 in Maroua versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Maroua is 74% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

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

$2.78 €2.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 FCFA 999

$1.28 €1.09

39.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 FCFA 484

$2.11 €1.80

-59.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 FCFA 1,666

$1.97 €1.68

50.76%

Eggs

$2.75 FCFA 1,539

$3.44 €2.94

-20.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 FCFA 3,051

$18.83 €16.08

-71.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 FCFA 2,913

$9.45 €8.07

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.45 FCFA 1,931

$19.01 €16.24

-81.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,008

$2.72 €2.32

-33.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 FCFA 511

$2.37 €2.03

-61.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 FCFA 500

$2.08 €1.77

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 FCFA 966

$2.76 €2.36

-37.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 FCFA 1,501

$1.97 €1.68

36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 FCFA 1,003

$1.79 €1.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 505

$0.90 €0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 FCFA 6,573

$7.55 €6.44

55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 FCFA 477

$1.44 €1.23

-40.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 996

$2.41 €2.06

-26.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

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

$38.7K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €27.6K

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

$52.0 FCFA 29.2K

$189 €161

-72.41%

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

$9.05 FCFA 5,068

$22.21 €18.96

-59.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 FCFA 9,843

$58.0 €49.52

-69.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.78 FCFA 1,000

$20.99 €17.93

-91.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 FCFA 48.8K

$1,218 €1,040

-92.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 FCFA 88.4K

$2,027 €1,731

-92.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

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 Maroua: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

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

Maroua vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua and Barcelona differ by about 577% in total monthly costs ($346 vs $2,341 including rent). Maroua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $519 in Maroua and $3,512 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $346 per month in Maroua versus $2,341 in Barcelona – a 577% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $346 in Maroua versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua 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, Maroua 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 Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 577% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.