Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Miri versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Miri versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Miri versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Miri is 41% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.43

$18.39 €15.87

-80.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 MYR 50.5

$69.2 €59.7

-81.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.67

$14.13 €12.19

-67.30%

Cappuccino

$2.34 MYR 9.46

$3.13 €2.70

-25.24%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.37

$3.02 €2.60

-72.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.22

$1.96 €1.69

-84.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MYR 12.32

$4.00 €3.45

-23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$4.76 €4.11

-14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 5.97

$1.25 €1.08

18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$2.16 €1.87

-13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.16

$1.69 €1.45

-39.05%

Eggs

$3.57 MYR 14.43

$4.93 €4.26

-27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.43

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.75

$9.61 €8.29

-49.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 MYR 60.8

$19.34 €16.69

-22.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.79

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.85

$2.18 €1.88

-11.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$0.92 €0.80

-58.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.67

$7.12 €6.14

-38.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.78 MYR 80.0

$8.14 €7.02

143.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 MYR 12.40

$1.50 €1.29

104.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 MYR 9.86

$2.78 €2.40

-12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$3.15 €2.72

-83.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.13 MYR 57.1

$26.99 €23.29

-47.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$3.25 €2.80

-62.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MYR 2.59

$1.50 €1.30

-57.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 MYR 25.70

$34.89 €30.11

-81.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 MYR 2.47

$1.75 €1.51

-65.14%

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

$50.0K MYR 202.0K

$36.7K €31.6K

36.28%

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

$33.7K MYR 136.2K

$30.9K €26.7K

8.85%

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

$51.2 MYR 207

$188 €162

-72.72%

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

$10.14 MYR 41.01

$15.44 €13.32

-34.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.98 MYR 137

$37.80 €32.61

-10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 MYR 120

$57.2 €49.34

-48.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 MYR 24.60

$16.80 €14.49

-63.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 MYR 18.32

$11.58 €9.99

-60.88%

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

$102 MYR 413

$1,003 €865

-89.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,617 MYR 26.8K

$17.0K €14.7K

-61.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.90 MYR 186

$89.2 €77.0

-48.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.91 MYR 92.6

$40.87 €35.27

-43.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 MYR 223

$110 €94.9

-49.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 MYR 174

$123 €106

-64.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,385

$1,673 €1,444

-79.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MYR 1,183

$1,331 €1,149

-78.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,423

$2,596 €2,240

-76.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 MYR 2,412

$1,950 €1,683

-69.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 MYR 4,940

$7,573 €6,535

-83.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$690 MYR 2,792

$5,370 €4,634

-87.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 MYR 2,835

$2,402 €2,073

-70.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

3.16

30.38%

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

Last update for Miri: September 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Miri and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 243% 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: $12.00 in Miri vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $332 per month, with Miri 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

Miri vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri and Barcelona differ by about 208% in total monthly costs ($810 vs $2,495 including rent). Miri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 243% lower in Barcelona. 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: $343 in Miri versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in Miri versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $810 in Miri versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Miri 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, Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 208% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.