Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $451 in Zanzibar versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $702 in Zanzibar versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $954 in Zanzibar versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 81% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zanzibar is 66% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

$17.58 €15.12

-72.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

$68.4 €58.9

-67.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

$14.06 €12.09

-58.53%

Cappuccino

$2.18 TZS 5,635

$2.78 €2.39

-21.58%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,539

$2.80 €2.41

-78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 792

$2.06 €1.78

-84.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 TZS 5,011

$4.46 €3.84

-56.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 TZS 7,141

$4.61 €3.96

-39.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 TZS 4,574

$1.24 €1.07

42.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 TZS 1,897

$2.03 €1.74

-63.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,236

$1.92 €1.65

-54.69%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,396

$3.31 €2.85

-13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 TZS 5,872

$9.49 €8.16

-75.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

$19.16 €16.48

-75.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,541

$2.64 €2.27

10.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 TZS 2,908

$2.45 €2.11

-53.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,943

$2.12 €1.82

-64.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,530

$2.85 €2.45

-79.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,386

$2.04 €1.75

-54.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 TZS 4,062

$1.85 €1.59

-14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,916

$1.47 €1.26

-49.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,184

$0.84 €0.73

-45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 TZS 5,442

$7.14 €6.14

-70.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

$7.88 €6.78

21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 TZS 4,520

$1.38 €1.19

26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,387

$2.31 €1.99

-43.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 TZS 1,664

$2.98 €2.56

-78.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TZS 7,125

$29.18 €25.10

-90.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,101

$1.84 €1.58

-34.78%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

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

$32.7K €28.1K

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

$188 €162

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

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

$22.93 €19.73

-54.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

$36.71 €31.58

-38.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

$57.4 €49.35

-62.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$11.19 €9.63

-15.82%

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

$721 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

$86.2 €74.2

-84.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

$37.07 €31.89

-52.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

$102 €87.8

-85.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

$116 €99.7

-88.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 382.9K

$1,534 €1,319

-90.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

$1,220 €1,050

-91.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 520.2K

$2,696 €2,319

-92.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 386.0K

$2,013 €1,732

-92.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

$7,220 €6,211

433.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

$5,189 €4,463

119.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 TZS 834.5K

$2,359 €2,029

-86.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

194.99%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in Zanzibar and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 629% 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: $22.00 in Zanzibar vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $138 vs $318 per month, with Zanzibar 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

Zanzibar vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar and Barcelona differ by about 425% in total monthly costs ($451 vs $2,367 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 629% 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: $148 in Zanzibar versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zanzibar – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $451 per month in Zanzibar versus $2,367 in Barcelona – a 425% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar 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, Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 425% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.