Cost of Living Comparison Between Shinas and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Shinas and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $817 in Shinas versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Shinas versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Shinas versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Shinas costs roughly 65% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shinas is 39% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 OMR 1.99

$17.58 €15.12

-70.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.55 OMR 9.84

$68.4 €58.9

-62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$14.06 €12.09

-46.09%

Cappuccino

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$2.78 €2.39

71.22%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.80 €2.41

-62.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$2.06 €1.78

-83.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.19 OMR 4.69

$4.46 €3.84

173.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.81 OMR 4.55

$4.61 €3.96

156.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$1.24 €1.07

55.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$2.03 €1.74

-41.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.92 €1.65

-9.90%

Eggs

$2.38 OMR 0.92

$3.31 €2.85

-28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.73 OMR 1.43

$18.43 €15.85

-79.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 OMR 1.91

$9.49 €8.16

-47.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 OMR 3.32

$19.16 €16.48

-55.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$2.64 €2.27

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$2.45 €2.11

-29.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$2.12 €1.82

-16.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$2.85 €2.45

-58.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.04 €1.75

-50.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.85 €1.59

-46.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$1.47 €1.26

-29.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.84 €0.73

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$7.14 €6.14

-9.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 OMR 6.11

$7.88 €6.78

101.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.37 OMR 1.68

$1.38 €1.19

216.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$2.31 €1.99

235.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$4.60 €3.95

-30.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 OMR 0.30

$2.07 €1.78

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 OMR 3.96

$29.18 €25.10

-64.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.84 €1.58

-67.93%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,779

$39.0K €33.6K

-41.55%

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

$21.7K OMR 8,368

$32.7K €28.1K

-33.53%

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

$106 OMR 40.81

$188 €162

-43.57%

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

$41.81 OMR 16.10

$22.93 €19.73

82.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 OMR 27.21

$36.71 €31.58

92.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$11.19 €9.63

-8.13%

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

$196 OMR 75.3

$721 €620

-72.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,761 OMR 3,758

$15.0K €12.9K

-35.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 OMR 19.32

$86.2 €74.2

-41.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 OMR 15.34

$37.07 €31.89

7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 OMR 30.00

$102 €87.8

-23.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 OMR 34.17

$116 €99.7

-23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

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)

$3,087 OMR 1,188

$2,359 €2,029

30.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.39

51.92%

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

Last update for Shinas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Shinas pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Shinas vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $318 per month, with Shinas 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

Shinas vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shinas and Barcelona differ by about 190% in total monthly costs ($817 vs $2,367 including rent). Shinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shinas pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $196 in Shinas 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 Shinas – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Shinas versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shinas but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shinas 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, Shinas 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 Shinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.