Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in Tema versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Tema versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Tema versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tema is 44% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.17 GHS 81.0

$18.39 €15.81

-61.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 GHS 320

$69.2 €59.5

-59.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

Cappuccino

$5.21 GHS 58.9

$3.13 €2.69

66.45%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.34

$3.02 €2.59

-69.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 GHS 3.52

$1.96 €1.69

-84.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 GHS 38.62

$4.00 €3.44

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 GHS 30.68

$4.76 €4.09

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.40 GHS 38.44

$1.25 €1.07

172.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 GHS 18.69

$2.16 €1.86

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 GHS 23.99

$1.69 €1.45

25.44%

Eggs

$2.44 GHS 27.57

$4.93 €4.24

-50.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 GHS 51.1

$17.88 €15.37

-74.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 GHS 37.35

$9.61 €8.26

-65.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.49 GHS 39.39

$19.34 €16.63

-81.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 GHS 29.38

$3.24 €2.78

-19.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 GHS 25.42

$2.18 €1.87

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 GHS 25.26

$2.67 €2.30

-16.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 GHS 40.57

$2.77 €2.38

29.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 GHS 40.93

$2.21 €1.90

63.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 GHS 33.05

$2.19 €1.88

33.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 GHS 4.79

$1.52 €1.31

-72.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 GHS 8.37

$0.92 €0.79

-19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 GHS 14.76

$7.12 €6.12

-81.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 GHS 99.1

$8.14 €6.99

7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 GHS 25.78

$1.50 €1.29

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 GHS 36.01

$2.78 €2.39

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 GHS 19.79

$3.15 €2.71

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.36 GHS 490

$26.99 €23.21

60.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 GHS 25.57

$3.25 €2.79

-30.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 GHS 4.78

$1.50 €1.29

-72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 GHS 13.16

$1.75 €1.50

-33.14%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

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

$30.9K €26.6K

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

$80.8 GHS 913

$188 €161

-56.96%

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

$15.84 GHS 179

$15.44 €13.27

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.2 GHS 963

$37.80 €32.49

125.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.86 GHS 281

$57.2 €49.16

-56.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 GHS 100

$11.58 €9.95

-23.49%

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

$177 GHS 2,005

$1,003 €862

-82.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,686 GHS 30.4K

$17.0K €14.6K

-84.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.47 GHS 152

$89.2 €76.7

-84.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.06 GHS 181

$40.87 €35.14

-60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.07 GHS 498

$110 €94.5

-59.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.93 GHS 372

$123 €105

-73.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 GHS 1,531

$1,673 €1,438

-91.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.4 GHS 829

$1,331 €1,145

-94.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 GHS 4,988

$2,596 €2,232

-82.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 GHS 2,471

$1,950 €1,676

-88.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,991 GHS 112.9K

$7,573 €6,511

31.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,102 GHS 69.0K

$5,370 €4,617

13.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 GHS 4,847

$2,402 €2,065

-82.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

1007.59%

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

Last update for Tema: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $135 in Tema and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 460% 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: $28.00 in Tema vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $332 per month, with Tema 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

Tema vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tema and Barcelona differ by about 223% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $2,495 including rent). Tema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 460% 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: $135 in Tema versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $177 in Tema versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $773 in Tema versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Tema 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, Tema 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 Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 223% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.