Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,405 a month against $3,149 in Philipsburg, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Philipsburg
🇸🇽 Sint Maarten
$3,149
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,405
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Philipsburg and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Philipsburg and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,149 in Philipsburg versus $2,405 in Barcelona.

  • Philipsburg $3,149
  • Barcelona $2,405

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,004 in Philipsburg versus $3,477 in Barcelona.

  • Philipsburg $6,004
  • Barcelona $3,477

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,859 in Philipsburg versus $4,550 in Barcelona.

  • Philipsburg $8,859
  • Barcelona $4,550

Living in Philipsburg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philipsburg 135% above, Barcelona 79% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.49 ANG 27.73
$17.98 €16.05
-13.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.8 ANG 127
$67.4 €60.2
5.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.04 ANG 14.39
$13.37 €11.93
-39.87%
Cappuccino
$4.38 ANG 7.83
$3.34 €2.98
31.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ANG 5.19
$2.95 €2.64
-1.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 ANG 7.35
$1.90 €1.69
116.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 ANG 5.31
$3.88 €3.46
-23.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.55 ANG 11.72
$4.57 €4.08
43.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.06 ANG 5.48
$1.27 €1.13
140.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 ANG 4.72
$1.96 €1.75
34.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ANG 4.53
$1.75 €1.56
44.57%
Eggs
$6.54 ANG 11.70
$4.89 €4.36
33.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.69 ANG 33.46
$17.47 €15.59
6.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 ANG 24.61
$9.06 €8.09
51.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.89 ANG 26.66
$20.18 €18.01
-26.21%
Apples (1kg)
$5.07 ANG 9.07
$3.08 €2.75
64.61%
Banana (1kg)
$5.07 ANG 9.08
$2.03 €1.81
149.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$9.20 ANG 16.46
$2.60 €2.32
253.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.58 ANG 13.57
$2.71 €2.42
179.70%
Potato (1kg)
$4.06 ANG 7.27
$2.15 €1.92
88.84%
Onion (1kg)
$4.04 ANG 7.22
$2.21 €1.97
82.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.88 ANG 8.74
$1.54 €1.38
216.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 ANG 2.40
$0.93 €0.83
44.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.16 ANG 14.61
$7.09 €6.32
15.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.82 ANG 19.37
$7.63 €6.81
41.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.13 ANG 9.19
$1.49 €1.33
244.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.73 €2.43
-
🚌 Getting Around
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ANG 4.05
$2.95 €2.63
-23.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$1.47 ANG 2.63
$25.91 €23.13
-94.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.04 ANG 26.92
$3.13 €2.80
380.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.45 €1.29
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$34.17 €30.49
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.79 €1.60
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.7K €31.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$30.3K €27.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 ANG 271
$181 €161
-16.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.40 ANG 58.0
$13.56 €12.10
138.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8 ANG 118
$35.12 €31.34
87.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.7 ANG 112
$53.2 €47.44
17.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.05 €14.33
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.92 ANG 19.54
$11.37 €10.14
-3.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$248 ANG 443
$939 €838
-73.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K ANG 21.4K
$16.5K €14.7K
-27.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$88.2 €78.7
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.77 €35.49
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$103 €92.3
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$119 €107
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,145 ANG 3,840
$1,695 €1,513
26.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,994 ANG 3,570
$1,301 €1,161
53.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,614 ANG 11.8K
$2,576 €2,299
156.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$6,466 ANG 11.6K
$1,941 €1,732
233.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,470 €6,666
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,195 €4,636
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Philipsburg
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,132 ANG 2,026
$2,299 €2,052
-50.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.28
52.44%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: October 5, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Philipsburg
$2K
Barcelona
$1.3K 34.8% $694
Groceries & Markets
Philipsburg
$496 *
Barcelona
$325 34.5% $171
Eating Out
Philipsburg
$256
Barcelona
$272 6% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Philipsburg
$250
Barcelona
$229 8.1% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Philipsburg
$85
Barcelona
$76 10.2% $8.7
Getting Around
Philipsburg
$26 *
Barcelona
$48 88.3% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Philipsburg
- *
Barcelona
$158

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,145 in Philipsburg and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Philipsburg vs $67.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 vs $325 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇽 Philipsburg
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
09:05 9:05 AM
15:05 3:05 PM
6 h ahead of Philipsburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,900 Capital
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ANG – Netherlands Antillean Guilder Converter

Netherlands Antillean Guilder exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 ANG (1 ANG = 0.559 USD). 1 EUR = 2.01 ANG (1 ANG = 0.499 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Philipsburg Barcelona 6,650 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Philipsburg
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Philipsburg vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Philipsburg and in Barcelona?
Philipsburg and Barcelona differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($3,149 vs $2,405 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 103% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Philipsburg and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,145 in Philipsburg versus $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Philipsburg and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $248 in Philipsburg versus $939 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Philipsburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Philipsburg and Barcelona?
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.
Is Philipsburg or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Philipsburg 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.
Where should expats move: Philipsburg or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Philipsburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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