Cost of Living Comparison Between Acton, MA and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Acton, MA and Barcelona

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,187 per month in Acton, MA vs $2,495 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,765 per month in Acton, MA vs $3,550 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,344 per month in Acton, MA vs $4,605 in Barcelona, rent included.

Acton, MA costs about 28% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Acton, MA and Barcelona sit above the global median – Acton, MA by 132%, Barcelona by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.65 $17.65

$18.39 €15.87

-4.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 $94.3

$69.2 €59.7

36.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.60 $13.60

$14.13 €12.19

-3.75%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$3.13 €2.70

76.68%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.02 €2.60

-3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.96 €1.69

39.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.00 €3.45

25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$4.76 €4.11

72.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.25 €1.08

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.16 €1.87

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.69 €1.45

220.71%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$4.93 €4.26

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$17.88 €15.43

-37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$9.61 €8.29

51.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$19.34 €16.69

-7.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.24 €2.79

35.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.18 €1.88

-16.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.67 €2.30

5.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.77 €2.39

45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.21 €1.91

-12.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.19 €1.89

24.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.52 €1.31

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.18 $13.18

$7.12 €6.14

85.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 $9.03

$8.14 €7.02

10.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.50 €1.29

38.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.78 €2.40

53.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.75 €1.51

-49.14%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.7K €31.6K

0.96%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$30.9K €26.7K

-16.91%

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

$314 $314

$188 €162

67.17%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$15.44 €13.32

304.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$37.80 €32.61

91.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.15 $25.15

$57.2 €49.34

-56.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.49

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$11.58 €9.99

13.47%

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

$1,861 $1,861

$1,003 €865

85.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$17.0K €14.7K

79.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$89.2 €77.0

-35.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 $38.95

$40.87 €35.27

-4.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 $80.3

$110 €94.9

-26.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$123 €106

-19.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,707 $2,707

$1,673 €1,444

61.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 $1,846

$1,331 €1,149

38.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,922 $2,922

$2,596 €2,240

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,564 $3,564

$1,950 €1,683

82.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,535

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,634

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,105 $9,105

$2,402 €2,073

279.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

3.16

91.14%

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

Last update for Acton, MA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,707 in Acton, MA versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 279% higher in Acton, MA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Acton, MA versus $69.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $332 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Acton, MA vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acton, MA costs about 28% more than Barcelona, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,781 per month in Acton, MA and $3,743 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barcelona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,187 in Acton, MA and $2,495 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,861 per month in Acton, MA and $1,003 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,187 in Acton, MA and $2,495 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barcelona costs $2,495 versus $3,187 in Acton, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.