Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibu and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Sibu versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,308 in Sibu versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Sibu versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 64% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibu is 35% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MYR 8.91

$18.74 €16.33

-88.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.8

$69.5 €60.6

-71.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$13.77 €12.00

-69.50%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.10 €2.70

-23.87%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$2.83 €2.47

-76.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 MYR 0.98

$1.88 €1.64

-87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$3.98 €3.47

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$4.53 €3.95

-5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.27 €1.11

39.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$2.16 €1.88

-61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.76 €1.53

-25.57%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$5.13 €4.47

-61.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 MYR 61.4

$17.88 €15.59

-15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$9.65 €8.41

-56.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.40

$20.15 €17.56

-49.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$3.25 €2.84

-0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$2.23 €1.94

-17.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.18

$2.60 €2.27

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$2.76 €2.40

-45.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.21 €1.93

-42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.12 €1.85

-43.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.55 €1.35

-30.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.95 €0.83

-47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$7.34 €6.40

-38.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.54 MYR 83.9

$8.05 €7.01

155.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$1.54 €1.35

94.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.93

$2.79 €2.43

31.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$3.11 €2.71

-78.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.00 MYR 57.2

$25.86 €22.54

-45.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MYR 5.33

$3.27 €2.85

-59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$1.48 €1.29

-70.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 MYR 34.41

$34.27 €29.88

-75.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.73 €1.51

-61.85%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$36.4K €31.7K

-1.05%

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

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

$30.5K €26.6K

15.30%

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

$49.25 MYR 201

$187 €163

-73.67%

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

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$15.14 €13.20

-52.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$37.69 €32.85

-28.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.76 MYR 113

$55.9 €48.76

-50.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.30

$17.08 €14.89

-62.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 MYR 14.89

$11.41 €9.95

-68.01%

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

$180 MYR 735

$997 €869

-81.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

$16.5K €14.4K

-70.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$92.6 €80.8

-33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 MYR 148

$41.22 €35.93

-12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MYR 380

$111 €96.9

-16.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 MYR 283

$125 €109

-44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,696

$1,707 €1,488

-75.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MYR 1,466

$1,286 €1,121

-72.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 MYR 3,201

$2,565 €2,236

-69.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,832

$1,942 €1,693

-76.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 MYR 7,822

$7,647 €6,666

-74.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$5,167 €4,504

-77.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 MYR 2,037

$2,348 €2,047

-78.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

3.16

32.91%

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

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Sibu and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 371% 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 Sibu vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $336 per month, with Sibu 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

Sibu vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu and Barcelona differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($884 vs $2,476 including rent). Sibu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 371% 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: $416 in Sibu versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $180 in Sibu versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $884 in Sibu versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu 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, Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.