Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $749 in Mbabane versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,163 in Mbabane versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,577 in Mbabane versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Mbabane costs roughly 68% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbabane is 44% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 SZL 50.6

$17.61 €15.04

-82.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.91 SZL 478

$68.7 €58.7

-57.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.26 SZL 37.33

$13.75 €11.74

-83.56%

Cappuccino

$1.88 SZL 31.12

$2.76 €2.36

-31.88%

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

$0.89 SZL 14.79

$2.78 €2.38

-67.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 SZL 9.08

$2.05 €1.75

-73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SZL 28.03

$4.61 €3.93

-63.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SZL 28.31

$4.59 €3.92

-62.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SZL 17.19

$1.28 €1.09

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 SZL 12.80

$2.11 €1.80

-63.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 SZL 21.31

$1.97 €1.68

-34.52%

Eggs

$1.72 SZL 28.52

$3.44 €2.94

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 SZL 149

$18.83 €16.08

-52.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 SZL 80.4

$9.45 €8.07

-48.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.20 SZL 86.1

$19.01 €16.24

-72.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 SZL 25.74

$2.72 €2.32

-42.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 SZL 11.81

$2.37 €2.03

-70.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 SZL 14.91

$2.08 €1.77

-56.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 SZL 23.04

$2.76 €2.36

-49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 SZL 16.72

$1.97 €1.68

-48.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 SZL 20.37

$1.79 €1.53

-31.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 SZL 9.30

$1.51 €1.29

-62.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 SZL 12.98

$0.90 €0.77

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 SZL 42.74

$6.76 €5.77

-61.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 SZL 101

$7.55 €6.44

-19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SZL 23.96

$1.44 €1.23

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SZL 22.67

$2.41 €2.06

-43.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 SZL 18.86

$3.03 €2.59

-62.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.83 SZL 477

$28.39 €24.25

1.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SZL 56.5

$4.43 €3.78

-22.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SZL 45.17

$2.05 €1.75

33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SZL 56.2

$29.33 €25.05

-88.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 SZL 19.45

$1.89 €1.61

-38.10%

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

$17.0K SZL 280.9K

$38.7K €33.1K

-56.19%

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

$20.7K SZL 343.1K

$32.4K €27.6K

-35.94%

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

$76.5 SZL 1,266

$189 €161

-59.43%

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

$35.63 SZL 590

$22.21 €18.96

60.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.37 SZL 470

$36.82 €31.44

-22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.55 SZL 473

$58.0 €49.52

-50.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.16 SZL 85.3

$20.99 €17.93

-75.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.67 SZL 60.7

$11.05 €9.44

-66.79%

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

$107 SZL 1,770

$726 €620

-85.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,639 SZL 76.8K

$15.2K €13.0K

-69.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.41 SZL 735

$88.3 €75.4

-49.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.92 SZL 379

$36.98 €31.58

-38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 SZL 1,194

$103 €87.6

-29.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 SZL 1,340

$119 €102

-32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 SZL 4,299

$1,526 €1,304

-82.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 SZL 2,959

$1,218 €1,040

-85.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 SZL 8,218

$2,794 €2,386

-82.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 SZL 6,160

$2,027 €1,731

-81.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$484 SZL 8,007

$7,094 €6,058

-93.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$365 SZL 6,034

$4,849 €4,141

-92.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 SZL 11.0K

$2,404 €2,053

-72.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

3.39

242.77%

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

Last update for Mbabane: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in Mbabane and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 263% 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: $29.00 in Mbabane vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $320 per month, with Mbabane 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

Mbabane vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mbabane and Barcelona differ by about 213% in total monthly costs ($749 vs $2,341 including rent). Mbabane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 263% 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: $260 in Mbabane versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $107 in Mbabane versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $749 in Mbabane versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mbabane but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mbabane 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, Mbabane 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 Mbabane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.