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: $722 in Ndola versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Ndola versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,678 in Ndola versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 69% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ndola is 46% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$17.58 €15.12

-59.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$68.4 €58.9

-64.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$14.06 €12.09

-73.97%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.78 €2.39

-30.22%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$2.80 €2.41

-86.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$2.06 €1.78

-91.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$4.46 €3.84

-78.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$4.61 €3.96

-60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.24 €1.07

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$2.03 €1.74

-61.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$1.92 €1.65

-18.23%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$3.31 €2.85

-61.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$18.43 €15.85

-59.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$9.49 €8.16

-58.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$19.16 €16.48

-75.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$2.64 €2.27

-53.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$2.45 €2.11

-32.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$2.12 €1.82

31.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$2.85 €2.45

-58.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$2.04 €1.75

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$1.85 €1.59

-28.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$1.47 €1.26

-37.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.84 €0.73

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$7.14 €6.14

-64.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$7.88 €6.78

37.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.38 €1.19

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$2.31 €1.99

-32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$2.98 €2.56

-81.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$4.60 €3.95

-60.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$29.18 €25.10

-67.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.84 €1.58

-35.33%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$39.0K €33.6K

-79.19%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$32.7K €28.1K

-14.27%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$188 €162

-51.13%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$22.93 €19.73

58.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$36.71 €31.58

236.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$11.19 €9.63

-63.72%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$721 €620

-75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$15.0K €12.9K

-35.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$86.2 €74.2

-77.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$37.07 €31.89

-53.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$102 €87.8

-17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$116 €99.7

-36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$1,534 €1,319

-91.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$1,220 €1,050

-91.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$2,696 €2,319

-90.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$2,013 €1,732

-26.43%

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)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$2,359 €2,029

-74.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 287% 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: $24.00 in Ndola vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $318 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 228% in total monthly costs ($722 vs $2,367 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 287% 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: $126 in Ndola versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in Ndola 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 Ndola – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $722 in Ndola versus $2,367 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 228% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.