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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,367 per month in Barcelona vs $2,650 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Barcelona vs $3,873 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Barcelona vs $5,097 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Barcelona is about 11% cheaper than Amherst, NY, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Amherst, NY sit above the global median – Barcelona by 77%, Amherst, NY by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$18.34 $18.34

-4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$86.2 $86.2

-20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$11.95 $11.95

17.66%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$5.39 $5.39

-48.42%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.20 $2.20

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.97 $1.97

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$6.97 $6.97

-36.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$7.70 $7.70

-40.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.96 $0.96

29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$3.83 $3.83

-47.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$4.71 $4.71

-59.24%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$4.04 $4.04

-18.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$12.76 $12.76

44.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$8.15 $8.15

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$12.14 $12.14

57.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.05 $4.05

-34.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.20 $1.20

104.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$5.39 $5.39

-60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$5.04 $5.04

-43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.59 $2.59

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$3.64 $3.64

-49.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$2.48 $2.48

-40.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.50 $2.50

-66.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$12.29 $12.29

-41.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$15.12 $15.12

-47.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.70 $1.70

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.61 $4.61

-49.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.99 $1.99

49.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.96 $3.96

16.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.88 $1.88

10.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$29.98 $29.98

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.95 $0.95

93.68%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.0K $28.0K

39.55%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.4K $24.4K

33.96%

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

$188 €162

$237 $237

-20.91%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$45.85 $45.85

-49.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$61.4 $61.4

-40.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$42.66 $42.66

34.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

$20.30 $20.30

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$13.84 $13.84

-19.15%

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

$721 €621

$900 $900

-19.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$17.3K $17.3K

-13.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$46.22 $46.22

86.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$45.42 $45.42

-18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$95.2 $95.2

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$114 $114

1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$1,604 $1,604

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$1,341 $1,341

-9.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$2,650 $2,650

1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$2,207 $2,207

-8.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$3,209 $3,209

125.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$4,382 $4,382

18.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$4,113 $4,113

-42.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.42

-47.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Amherst, NY: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,604 in Amherst, NY. 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 74% higher in Amherst, NY, 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 $68.0 in Barcelona versus $86.0 in Amherst, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $376 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, NY costs about 12% more than Barcelona, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,550 per month in Barcelona and $3,975 in Amherst, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $86.0 in Amherst, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Amherst, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,367 in Barcelona and $2,650 in Amherst, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barcelona costs $2,367 versus $2,650 in Amherst, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amherst, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.