Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, WA and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $2,589 in Auburn, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Auburn, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,589
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, WA and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, WA and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Auburn, WA vs $2,381 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Auburn, WA $2,589
  • Barcelona $2,381

A couple spends around $4,092 per month in Auburn, WA vs $3,406 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Auburn, WA $4,092
  • Barcelona $3,406

A family of three spends $5,595 per month in Auburn, WA vs $4,431 in Barcelona, rent included.

  • Auburn, WA $5,595
  • Barcelona $4,431

Auburn, WA costs about 9% more than Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Auburn, WA and Barcelona sit above the global median – Auburn, WA by 91%, Barcelona by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.69 $19.69
$17.89 €15.92
10.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.2 $96.2
$66.2 €58.9
45.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.71 $11.71
$13.69 €12.18
-14.46%
Cappuccino
$4.46 $4.46
$3.06 €2.72
45.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$3.07 €2.73
-33.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.94 €1.73
3.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.93 $4.93
$3.87 €3.44
27.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.18 $7.18
$4.61 €4.10
55.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.30 €1.16
-31.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 $2.56
$2.10 €1.87
21.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.83 €1.62
104.92%
Eggs
$3.04 $3.04
$4.62 €4.11
-34.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.58 $8.58
$17.36 €15.44
-50.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 $13.75
$9.28 €8.25
48.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.56 $18.56
$19.83 €17.64
-6.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.75 $4.75
$3.01 €2.68
57.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.03 €1.81
-11.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$2.65 €2.36
43.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$2.87 €2.55
44.60%
Potato (1kg)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.16 €1.92
43.98%
Onion (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.15 €1.91
51.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.47 €1.31
24.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$0.88 €0.79
139.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.79 $10.79
$6.93 €6.16
55.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.03 $15.03
$7.83 €6.96
91.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.39 €1.24
22.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.63 €2.34
11.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.91 €2.59
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.46 €22.64
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 $3.54
$3.00 €2.66
18.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.44 €1.28
27.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$50.2 $50.2
$33.20 €29.53
51.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.86 €1.65
-30.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$32.3K €28.8K
-20.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$31.7K €28.2K
-22.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 $216
$183 €163
18.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.51 $40.51
$13.61 €12.11
197.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.5 $79.5
$32.93 €29.29
141.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.39 $34.39
$54.7 €48.65
-37.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.52 €14.70
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.77 $14.77
$11.23 €9.99
31.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,077 $1,077
$954 €849
12.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K $16.8K
$16.6K €14.8K
0.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 $55.7
$86.0 €76.5
-35.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.82 $46.82
$39.11 €34.78
19.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 $78.9
$104 €92.2
-23.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.3 $81.3
$119 €106
-31.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,470 $1,470
$1,695 €1,508
-13.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,381 $1,381
$1,276 €1,135
8.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 $2,298
$2,576 €2,291
-10.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,844 $2,844
$1,922 €1,710
47.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,281 €6,477
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,010 €4,456
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Auburn, WA
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,864 $6,864
$2,227 €1,981
208.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
3.28
100.91%

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

Last update for Auburn, WA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Auburn, WA
$1.4K
Barcelona
$1.3K 7.6% $105
Groceries & Markets
Auburn, WA
$375
Barcelona
$325 13.4% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, WA
$336
Barcelona
$229 31.8% $107
Eating Out
Auburn, WA
$301
Barcelona
$270 10.6% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, WA
$118
Barcelona
$156 32.3% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, WA
$64
Barcelona
$77 20.7% $13
Getting Around
Auburn, WA
$13 *
Barcelona
$47 271% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,470 in Auburn, WA versus $1,695 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 208% higher in Auburn, WA, 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 $96.0 in Auburn, WA versus $66.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $325 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Auburn, WA
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
13:02 1:02 PM
22:02 10:02 PM
9 h ahead of Auburn, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,143
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Auburn, WA Barcelona 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Auburn, WA
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Auburn, WA vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Auburn, WA or Barcelona?
Auburn, WA costs about 9% more than Barcelona, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Auburn, WA and in Barcelona?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,884 per month in Auburn, WA and $3,571 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Auburn, WA or Barcelona?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Auburn, WA compared to Barcelona?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,589 in Auburn, WA and $2,381 in Barcelona. That's a gap of about 9%.
How do childcare costs compare in Auburn, WA and in Barcelona?
Kindergarten costs $1,077 per month in Auburn, WA and $954 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Auburn, WA or in Barcelona?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,381, than in Auburn, WA at $2,589. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Auburn, WA or Barcelona?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barcelona costs $2,381 versus $2,589 in Auburn, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Auburn, WA compared to Barcelona?
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.
Should I move to Auburn, WA or to Barcelona?
If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Auburn, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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