Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Barcelona

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,648 per month in Alton, IL vs $2,336 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,888 per month in Alton, IL vs $3,475 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,128 per month in Alton, IL vs $4,614 in Barcelona, rent included.

Alton, IL costs about 13% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alton, IL and Barcelona sit above the global median – Alton, IL by 98%, Barcelona by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.14 $19.14

$17.45 €14.88

9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.6 $66.6

$69.8 €59.6

-4.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$13.91 €11.86

-14.95%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$2.74 €2.34

82.12%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$2.70 €2.30

-19.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.03 €1.73

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.51 €3.85

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 $6.65

$4.61 €3.93

44.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.28 €1.09

-39.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.10 €1.79

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$1.99 €1.70

209.05%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.45 €2.95

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$18.61 €15.87

-58.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$9.41 €8.03

-19.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 $19.52

$18.70 €15.95

4.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$2.61 €2.22

157.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.39 €2.04

6.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$2.19 €1.86

215.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.81 €2.40

84.34%

Potato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.03 €1.73

147.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.87 €1.60

128.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 €1.24

36.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.92 €0.79

176.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.05 $7.05

$6.82 €5.82

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$7.71 €6.58

92.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.38 €1.18

37.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.33 €1.99

70.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.88 €2.46

-29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.43 €3.78

-30.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.14 €1.82

-26.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$28.96 €24.71

2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.90 €1.62

-53.68%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$37.9K €32.3K

-22.37%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$33.3K €28.4K

-24.43%

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

$239 $239

$186 €158

28.64%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$22.17 €18.91

129.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$36.52 €31.15

70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 $42.67

$58.4 €49.81

-26.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 $12.21

$11.10 €9.47

10.00%

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

$1,289 $1,289

$705 €601

82.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$15.2K €13.0K

54.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$86.4 €73.7

-33.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$36.88 €31.46

19.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 $75.6

$104 €88.8

-27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$196 $196

$115 €98.4

69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,538 €1,312

3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$1,242 €1,060

8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$2,728 €2,327

-2.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$2,011 €1,716

12.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,531 $1,531

$7,155 €6,104

-78.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 $1,465

$4,843 €4,131

-69.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,837 $3,837

$2,474 €2,111

55.09%

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 Alton, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Alton, IL versus $1,538 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 55% higher in Alton, IL, 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 $67 in Alton, IL versus $70 in Barcelona. Groceries tell a different story – $405 in Alton, IL vs $318 in Barcelona – so Barcelona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Alton, IL vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alton, IL costs about 13% more than Barcelona, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,972 per month in Alton, IL and $3,504 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 $2,648 in Alton, IL and $2,336 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,289 per month in Alton, IL and $705 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,336, than in Alton, IL at $2,648. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alton, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barcelona costs $2,336 versus $2,648 in Alton, IL. 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, Alton, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.