Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $432 in Mbeya versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $669 in Mbeya versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Mbeya versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Mbeya costs roughly 82% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbeya is 68% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.32 TZS 60.1K

$68.4 €58.9

-65.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 TZS 20.5K

$14.06 €12.09

-43.53%

Cappuccino

$1.58 TZS 4,065

$2.78 €2.39

-43.17%

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

$0.41 TZS 1,054

$2.80 €2.41

-85.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$2.06 €1.78

-80.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 TZS 1,896

$4.46 €3.84

-83.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,426

$1.24 €1.07

-55.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 TZS 2,555

$2.03 €1.74

-51.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,576

$1.92 €1.65

-47.92%

Eggs

$2.28 TZS 5,881

$3.31 €2.85

-31.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.92 TZS 10.1K

$18.43 €15.85

-78.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 TZS 9,832

$9.49 €8.16

-59.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.53 TZS 9,101

$19.16 €16.48

-81.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 2,959

$2.64 €2.27

-56.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,048

$2.45 €2.11

-67.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,464

$2.12 €1.82

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,908

$2.85 €2.45

-74.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,461

$2.04 €1.75

-53.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 TZS 2,076

$1.85 €1.59

-56.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TZS 1,430

$1.47 €1.26

-62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 TZS 1,922

$0.84 €0.73

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.19 TZS 3,078

$7.14 €6.14

-83.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 TZS 10.0K

$7.88 €6.78

-50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 TZS 2,075

$1.38 €1.19

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 TZS 3,023

$2.31 €1.99

-49.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 TZS 962

$2.98 €2.56

-87.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 TZS 3,059

$4.60 €3.95

-74.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 TZS 4,540

$2.07 €1.78

-14.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TZS 7,108

$29.18 €25.10

-90.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 TZS 3,263

$1.84 €1.58

-30.98%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$24.83 TZS 64.0K

$188 €162

-86.78%

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

$19.42 TZS 50.1K

$22.93 €19.73

-15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.89 TZS 118.4K

$36.71 €31.58

25.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.67 TZS 99.7K

$57.4 €49.35

-32.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$9.49 TZS 24.5K

$11.19 €9.63

-15.19%

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

$193 TZS 498.9K

$721 €620

-73.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,179 TZS 3.0M

$15.0K €12.9K

-92.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 TZS 29.5K

$86.2 €74.2

-86.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.78 TZS 25.2K

$37.07 €31.89

-73.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

$102 €87.8

-80.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.31 TZS 70.4K

$116 €99.7

-76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 TZS 297.1K

$1,534 €1,319

-92.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.5 TZS 202.5K

$1,220 €1,050

-93.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 TZS 492.9K

$2,696 €2,319

-92.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 295.2K

$2,013 €1,732

-94.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 491.4K

$2,359 €2,029

-91.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

283.48%

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

Last update for Mbeya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Mbeya and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1138% 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: $23.00 in Mbeya vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $118 vs $318 per month, with Mbeya 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

Mbeya vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mbeya and Barcelona differ by about 447% in total monthly costs ($432 vs $2,367 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 1138% 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: $115 in Mbeya versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $193 in Mbeya versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mbeya – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $432 in Mbeya versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbeya but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mbeya 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, Mbeya 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 Mbeya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 447% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.