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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,919 in Amherst, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $4,625 in Amherst, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $6,331 in Amherst, MA.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 20% less than in Amherst, MA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Amherst, MA 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

$19.79 $19.79

-11.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

$70.0 $70.0

-1.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

$9.33 $9.33

47.37%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$5.34 $5.34

-48.31%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$3.08 $3.08

-9.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.42 $2.42

-15.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

$8.14 $8.14

-43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

$7.67 $7.67

-40.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.31 $1.31

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

$3.63 $3.63

-41.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.96 $1.96

0.51%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

$4.58 $4.58

-24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

$14.05 $14.05

34.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

$5.02 $5.02

88.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

$18.57 $18.57

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

$5.38 $5.38

-49.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.47 $1.47

61.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$3.48 $3.48

-40.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$5.15 $5.15

-46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.98 $0.98

101.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.98 $0.98

82.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.55 $2.55

-40.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.97 $1.97

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

$10.46 $10.46

-35.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

$13.31 $13.31

-43.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.91 $2.91

-50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.43 $3.43

-29.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.95 $1.95

55.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

$28.15 $28.15

0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$2.54 $2.54

74.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.41 $1.41

45.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

$28.08 $28.08

4.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$0.87 $0.87

117.24%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$30.4K $30.4K

27.58%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

26.88%

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

$189 €161

$194 $194

-2.83%

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

$22.21 €18.96

$57.4 $57.4

-61.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

$78.7 $78.7

-53.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

$120 $120

-51.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

$7.05 $7.05

197.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

$10.57 $10.57

4.54%

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

$726 €620

$2,740 $2,740

-73.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

-44.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

$40.77 $40.77

116.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

$44.15 $44.15

-16.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

$83.4 $83.4

22.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$143 $143

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

$1,847 $1,847

-17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

$1,603 $1,603

-24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

$4,785 $4,785

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

$3,445 $3,445

-41.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

$4,039 $4,039

75.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

$4,112 $4,112

17.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

$4,910 $4,910

-51.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.22

-45.50%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,847 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 104% 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 $70.0 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $361 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 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Amherst, MA earns 104% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,847 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $2,740 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,919 in Amherst, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Amherst, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 25% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.