Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Shymkent versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,091 in Shymkent versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,503 in Shymkent versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 71% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shymkent is 49% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₸4,664

$17.58 €15.14

-45.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 ₸9,579

$68.4 €58.9

-71.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 ₸3,298

$14.06 €12.10

-51.85%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₸912

$2.78 €2.39

-32.73%

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

$1.01 ₸490

$2.80 €2.41

-63.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸213

$2.06 €1.78

-78.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸563

$4.46 €3.84

-73.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸930

$4.61 €3.97

-58.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₸534

$1.24 €1.07

-11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸148

$2.03 €1.75

-85.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₸767

$1.92 €1.65

-18.23%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸702

$3.31 €2.85

-56.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₸3,871

$18.43 €15.87

-56.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,066

$9.49 €8.17

-55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ₸3,166

$19.16 €16.50

-66.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₸489

$2.64 €2.27

-62.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₸894

$2.45 €2.11

-24.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸920

$2.12 €1.83

-10.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸499

$2.85 €2.45

-64.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₸231

$2.04 €1.75

-76.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸184

$1.85 €1.59

-79.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₸378

$1.47 €1.27

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸311

$0.84 €0.73

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 ₸930

$7.14 €6.15

-73.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,935

$7.88 €6.79

-49.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸454

$1.38 €1.19

-32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸673

$2.31 €1.99

-40.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸77.7

$2.98 €2.57

-94.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸409

$4.60 €3.96

-81.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸308

$2.07 €1.78

-69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₸2,879

$29.18 €25.13

-79.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸222

$1.84 €1.58

-75.00%

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

$19.8K ₸9.7M

$39.0K €33.6K

-49.18%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$32.7K €28.2K

-24.90%

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

$51.1 ₸24.9K

$188 €162

-72.82%

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

$8.84 ₸4,306

$22.93 €19.75

-61.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ₸6,086

$36.71 €31.61

-65.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.82 ₸16.0K

$57.4 €49.41

-42.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ₸3,748

$20.70 €17.82

-62.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₸2,315

$11.19 €9.64

-57.55%

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

$49.35 ₸24.0K

$721 €621

-93.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,935 ₸2.4M

$15.0K €13.0K

-67.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₸15.8K

$86.2 €74.2

-62.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ₸14.6K

$37.07 €31.92

-19.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₸59.7K

$102 €87.9

20.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.31 ₸22.6K

$116 €99.8

-60.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₸149.1K

$1,534 €1,321

-80.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸86.4K

$1,220 €1,051

-85.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₸229.2K

$2,696 €2,321

-82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₸172.4K

$2,013 €1,734

-82.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₸506.5K

$7,220 €6,217

-85.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 ₸443.6K

$5,189 €4,468

-82.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₸195.1K

$2,359 €2,032

-83.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

3.39

475.22%

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

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Shymkent and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 489% 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: $20.00 in Shymkent vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $318 per month, with Shymkent 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

Shymkent vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shymkent and Barcelona differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($679 vs $2,367 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 489% 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: $306 in Shymkent versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $49.35 in Shymkent 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 Shymkent – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent 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, Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.