Cost of Living Comparison Between Alpharetta, GA and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Alpharetta, GA and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,041 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,463 in Alpharetta, GA versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,885 in Alpharetta, GA versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Alpharetta, GA is roughly 22% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alpharetta, GA 121% above, Barcelona 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.84 $21.84

$18.39 €15.87

18.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$69.2 €59.7

16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$14.13 €12.19

-30.43%

Cappuccino

$4.70 $4.70

$3.13 €2.70

50.16%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$3.02 €2.60

-14.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.96 €1.69

3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 $5.66

$4.00 €3.45

41.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 $7.57

$4.76 €4.11

59.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.25 €1.08

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.16 €1.87

93.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$1.69 €1.45

223.67%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$4.93 €4.26

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$17.88 €15.43

-34.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$9.61 €8.29

-6.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.84 $19.84

$19.34 €16.69

2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.24 €2.79

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.18 €1.88

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.67 €2.30

49.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.77 €2.39

42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.21 €1.91

71.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.19 €1.89

71.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.52 €1.31

50.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$0.92 €0.80

183.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.12 €6.14

24.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$8.14 €7.02

81.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.50 €1.29

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.78 €2.40

45.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.15 €2.72

-7.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.6 $94.6

$26.99 €23.29

250.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.25 €2.80

-10.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.50 €1.30

56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.87 $39.87

$34.89 €30.11

14.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.75 €1.51

-49.71%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$36.7K €31.6K

-12.81%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$30.9K €26.7K

-13.13%

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

$261 $261

$188 €162

39.07%

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

$55.2 $55.2

$15.44 €13.32

257.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.4 $89.4

$37.80 €32.61

136.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.31 $35.31

$57.2 €49.34

-38.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.37 $22.37

$16.80 €14.49

33.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.82 $16.82

$11.58 €9.99

45.25%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$1,003 €865

25.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$17.0K €14.7K

-6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 $78.7

$89.2 €77.0

-11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.37 $45.37

$40.87 €35.27

11.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 $130

$110 €94.9

18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$123 €106

11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 $2,045

$1,673 €1,444

22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 $1,503

$1,331 €1,149

12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,922 $2,922

$2,596 €2,240

12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$1,950 €1,683

28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,509 $7,509

$7,573 €6,535

-0.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,365 $5,365

$5,370 €4,634

-0.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,193 $6,193

$2,402 €2,073

157.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

3.16

103.48%

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

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,045 in Alpharetta, GA and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 158% 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: $80.0 in Alpharetta, GA vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $332 per month, with Barcelona 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

Alpharetta, GA vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 158% higher in Alpharetta, GA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,045 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barcelona runs roughly 250% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Barcelona is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alpharetta, GA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Alpharetta, GA 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.