Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Amherst, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Amherst, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $3,006 in Amherst, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $4,373 in Amherst, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $5,739 in Amherst, MA.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 18% less than in Amherst, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Amherst, MA 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$19.78 $19.78

-5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$76.3 $76.3

-8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$9.48 $9.48

45.25%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.70 $4.70

-34.04%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$2.62 $2.62

8.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$5.94 $5.94

-33.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$10.69 $10.69

-57.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.02 $1.02

24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.20 $3.20

-32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$5.33 $5.33

-66.98%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$4.54 $4.54

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$16.58 $16.58

7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$15.78 $15.78

-38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$18.70 $18.70

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$4.88 $4.88

-33.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.45 $1.45

53.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$3.40 $3.40

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$4.58 $4.58

-39.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$3.27 $3.27

-32.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$3.52 $3.52

-39.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.31 $2.31

-32.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$2.04 $2.04

-53.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$10.67 $10.67

-31.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$11.88 $11.88

-32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.06 $2.06

-25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.43 $3.43

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$1.29 $1.29

141.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$27.88 $27.88

-7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.58 $3.58

-8.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.35 $1.35

9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$30.36 $30.36

12.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.97 $0.97

78.35%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$36.2K $36.2K

0.40%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

19.69%

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

$187 €163

$214 $214

-12.75%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$57.8 $57.8

-73.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$84.6 $84.6

-55.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$120 $120

-53.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$6.93 $6.93

146.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$10.30 $10.30

10.78%

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

$997 €868

$1,516 $1,516

-34.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$16.9K $16.9K

-1.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$44.90 $44.90

106.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$39.65 $39.65

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$91.0 $91.0

22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$110 $110

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$1,806 $1,806

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$1,638 $1,638

-21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$3,877 $3,877

-33.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$2,648 $2,648

-26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

$4,021 $4,021

90.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

$4,083 $4,083

26.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$4,734 $4,734

-50.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.1

-48.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,806 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $76.0 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $428 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

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 Amherst, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% lower in Amherst, MA. 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 $1,806 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,516 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Barcelona is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Amherst, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Amherst, MA 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.