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

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,991 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $2,367 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,251 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $3,465 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,512 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $4,563 in Barcelona, rent included.

Atlanta, GA costs about 26% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Atlanta, GA and Barcelona sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 123%, Barcelona by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.90 $20.90

$17.58 €15.14

18.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.3 $90.3

$68.4 €58.9

31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$14.06 €12.10

-15.65%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.78 €2.39

80.94%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.80 €2.41

-6.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.06 €1.78

11.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.46 €3.84

33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.61 €3.97

74.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.24 €1.07

-20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.03 €1.75

87.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$1.92 €1.65

183.85%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$3.31 €2.85

22.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$18.43 €15.87

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.87 $15.87

$9.49 €8.17

67.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 $17.05

$19.16 €16.50

-11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$2.64 €2.27

173.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.45 €2.11

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$2.12 €1.83

221.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.85 €2.45

105.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.04 €1.75

61.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.85 €1.59

77.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.47 €1.27

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.84 €0.73

263.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 $7.28

$7.14 €6.15

1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$7.88 €6.79

92.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.38 €1.19

157.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.31 €1.99

137.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.98 €2.57

-17.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 $93.5

$29.26 €25.20

219.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.60 €3.96

-25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.07 €1.78

-27.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.99 $23.99

$29.18 €25.13

-17.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.84 €1.58

-52.72%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$39.0K €33.6K

-8.25%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$32.7K €28.2K

-21.12%

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

$196 $196

$188 €162

4.58%

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

$56.4 $56.4

$22.93 €19.75

145.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$36.71 €31.61

100.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 $45.78

$57.4 €49.41

-20.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.84 $9.84

$20.70 €17.82

-52.46%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 $16.14

$11.19 €9.64

44.24%

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

$1,246 $1,246

$721 €621

72.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K $25.8K

$15.0K €13.0K

71.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$86.2 €74.2

-40.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 $39.72

$37.07 €31.92

7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$102 €87.9

-3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$116 €99.8

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 $1,790

$1,534 €1,321

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 $1,500

$1,220 €1,051

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,094 $3,094

$2,696 €2,321

14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,311 $2,311

$2,013 €1,734

14.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,821 $3,821

$7,220 €6,217

-47.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,660 $2,660

$5,189 €4,468

-48.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,346 $5,346

$2,359 €2,032

126.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

3.39

92.92%

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

Last update for Atlanta, GA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,790 in Atlanta, GA versus $1,534 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 127% higher in Atlanta, GA, 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 $90.0 in Atlanta, GA versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 vs $318 – 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

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

Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,486 per month in Atlanta, GA and $3,550 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.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Atlanta, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Atlanta, GA and $68.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,991 in Atlanta, GA and $2,367 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Barcelona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.