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: $3,242 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,516 in Alpharetta, GA versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,791 in Alpharetta, GA versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Alpharetta, GA is roughly 37% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alpharetta, GA 142% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.29 $22.29

$17.58 €15.12

26.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$68.4 €58.9

-13.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$14.06 €12.09

-34.28%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$2.78 €2.39

90.29%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.80 €2.41

-10.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.06 €1.78

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$4.46 €3.84

42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$4.61 €3.96

77.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.24 €1.07

-17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.03 €1.74

97.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.92 €1.65

138.02%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$3.31 €2.85

34.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 $13.25

$18.43 €15.85

-28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$9.49 €8.16

2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.84 $19.84

$19.16 €16.48

3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.64 €2.27

83.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.45 €2.11

-29.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.12 €1.82

116.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.85 €2.45

41.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.04 €1.75

78.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.85 €1.59

88.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.47 €1.26

57.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.84 €0.73

207.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.37 $12.37

$7.14 €6.14

73.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$7.88 €6.78

88.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.38 €1.19

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.31 €1.99

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.98 €2.56

-9.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 $96.8

$29.26 €25.17

230.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.60 €3.95

-33.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.07 €1.78

14.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.75 $40.75

$29.18 €25.10

39.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.84 €1.58

-55.98%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$39.0K €33.6K

-16.32%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$32.7K €28.1K

-18.57%

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

$283 $283

$188 €162

50.53%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$22.93 €19.73

136.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$36.71 €31.58

83.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 $40.69

$57.4 €49.35

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 $15.06

$20.70 €17.80

-27.25%

Cinema Ticket

$16.19 $16.19

$11.19 €9.63

44.68%

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

$1,330 $1,330

$721 €620

84.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$15.0K €12.9K

101.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$86.2 €74.2

-20.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.53 $39.53

$37.07 €31.89

6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 €87.8

1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$116 €99.7

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$1,534 €1,319

19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$1,220 €1,050

43.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,343 $3,343

$2,696 €2,319

24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$2,013 €1,732

28.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,562 $7,562

$7,220 €6,211

4.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,251 $5,251

$5,189 €4,463

1.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,394 $6,394

$2,359 €2,029

171.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

3.39

93.51%

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

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Alpharetta, GA and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 171% 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: $59.0 in Alpharetta, GA vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $318, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Alpharetta, GA pays 171% more on average, 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: $1,826 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,534 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 231% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,330 in Alpharetta, GA versus $721 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 37% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.