Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Abilene, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Abilene, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,068 in Abilene, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $3,115 in Abilene, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $4,163 in Abilene, TX.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 20% more expensive than in Abilene, TX, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Abilene, TX 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$18.22 $18.22

2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$59.2 $59.2

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$8.88 $8.88

55.07%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.09 $5.09

-39.10%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$2.28 $2.28

24.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.76 $1.76

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$4.95 $4.95

-19.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$8.92 $8.92

-49.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.02 $1.02

24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.33 $3.33

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.23 $2.23

-21.08%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$3.70 $3.70

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$10.37 $10.37

72.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$13.40 $13.40

-27.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$14.45 $14.45

39.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$3.21 $3.21

1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$3.01 $3.01

-25.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$3.01 $3.01

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$2.50 $2.50

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.22 $2.22

-0.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$3.54 $3.54

-40.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.41 $2.41

-35.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$2.01 $2.01

-52.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$7.66 $7.66

-4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$12.13 $12.13

-33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.36 $2.36

-34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.78 $3.78

-26.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$1.79 $1.79

73.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

$53.8 $53.8

-51.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.86 $0.86

101.16%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$18.7K $18.7K

94.25%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

17.48%

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

$187 €163

$160 $160

16.92%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$69.4 $69.4

-78.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$63.5 $63.5

-40.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$19.81 $19.81

182.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$11.82 $11.82

-3.47%

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

$997 €869

$1,764 $1,764

-43.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$41.89 $41.89

121.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$28.72 $28.72

43.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$93.0 $93.0

19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$60.8 $60.8

105.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$1,182 $1,182

44.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$967 $967

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$1,833 $1,833

39.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$1,618 $1,618

20.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$1,711 $1,711

346.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$1,667 $1,667

209.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$3,343 $3,343

-29.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.08

-48.03%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abilene, TX: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,182 in Abilene, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abilene, TX pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $59.0 in Abilene, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $359, 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

Barcelona vs Abilene, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Abilene, TX differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,068 including rent). Abilene, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Abilene, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,182 in Abilene, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abilene, TX – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $2,068 in Abilene, TX – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,068 in Abilene, TX versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Abilene, TX but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Abilene, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Abilene, TX 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 Abilene, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.