Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Ndola versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,740 in Ndola versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,738 in Ndola versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ndola is 44% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$17.66 €15.46

-59.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$69.7 €61.0

-63.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$14.16 €12.40

-74.01%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$2.80 €2.45

-30.00%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$2.81 €2.46

-87.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$2.06 €1.81

-91.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$4.60 €4.03

-80.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$4.69 €4.11

-62.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.23 €1.08

5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$2.03 €1.78

-61.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$1.98 €1.73

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$3.49 €3.05

-62.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$18.33 €16.05

-57.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$9.83 €8.61

-59.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$19.13 €16.75

-75.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$2.73 €2.39

-54.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$2.38 €2.09

-32.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$2.08 €1.82

28.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$2.75 €2.41

-57.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$1.96 €1.72

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$1.79 €1.57

-26.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$1.48 €1.29

-41.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.91 €0.80

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$7.13 €6.25

-64.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$7.88 €6.90

36.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.38 €1.21

-21.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$2.39 €2.09

-33.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$3.01 €2.64

-81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$4.36 €3.82

-57.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$29.60 €25.93

-68.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$1.82 €1.60

-32.42%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$37.9K €33.2K

-79.25%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$32.4K €28.4K

-13.47%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$189 €166

-51.70%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$22.29 €19.52

63.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$37.16 €32.55

231.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$10.87 €9.52

-60.90%

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$706 €618

-74.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$14.9K €13.0K

-35.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$89.4 €78.3

-79.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$36.60 €32.06

-53.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$104 €91.1

-18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$119 €105

-38.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$1,579 €1,383

-92.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$1,238 €1,084

-91.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$2,712 €2,375

-89.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$2,039 €1,786

-27.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$2,364 €2,070

-74.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

637.46%

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

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 289% 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: $25.00 in Ndola vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $320 per month, with Ndola 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

Ndola vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ndola and Barcelona differ by about 213% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $2,320 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 289% 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: $126 in Ndola versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $178 in Ndola versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ndola – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Ndola versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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, Ndola 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 Ndola 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.