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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,089 in Abilene, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,048 in Abilene, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,006 in Abilene, TX.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 13% more expensive than Abilene, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Abilene, TX 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$13.27 $13.27

32.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$55.9 $55.9

22.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$9.03 $9.03

55.70%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.95 $4.95

-43.84%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$1.83 $1.83

53.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.91 $1.91

7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$4.06 $4.06

9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$7.95 $7.95

-42.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.87 $0.87

42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.97 $2.97

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$4.96 $4.96

-61.29%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$8.00 $8.00

-58.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$11.42 $11.42

61.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$9.92 $9.92

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$13.48 $13.48

42.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.63 $4.63

-42.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.46 $1.46

67.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$4.09 $4.09

-48.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.54 $3.54

-19.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.63 $3.63

-43.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.96 $2.96

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$2.27 $2.27

-35.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$3.23 $3.23

-73.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$8.45 $8.45

-15.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$11.72 $11.72

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.71 $1.71

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.83 $2.83

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$1.54 $1.54

93.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$44.53 $44.53

-34.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$2.97 $2.97

54.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.72 $1.72

20.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$56.8 $56.8

-48.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.75 $0.75

145.33%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$30.3K $30.3K

28.73%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$22.9K $22.9K

43.10%

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

$188 €162

$187 $187

0.51%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$46.41 $46.41

-50.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$63.1 $63.1

-41.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$15.25 $15.25

276.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$12.21 $12.21

-8.35%

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

$721 €620

$852 $852

-15.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$23.4K $23.4K

-35.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$53.6 $53.6

60.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$34.90 $34.90

6.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$88.7 $88.7

15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$106 $106

8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$1,091 $1,091

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$918 $918

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$1,687 $1,687

59.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$1,612 $1,612

24.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$1,704 $1,704

323.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$1,693 $1,693

206.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$3,299 $3,299

-28.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.49

-47.77%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abilene, TX: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,091 in Abilene, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abilene, TX pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $56.0 in Abilene, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $383, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $2,089 including rent). Abilene, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Abilene, TX earns 40% less. 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,091 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 $56.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $2,089 in Abilene, TX – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,089 in Abilene, TX versus $2,367 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 13% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.