Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ankeny, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ankeny, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,892 in Ankeny, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,790 in Ankeny, IA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 19% more expensive than Ankeny, IA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Ankeny, IA 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$15.25 $15.25

15.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$57.7 $57.7

18.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$11.81 $11.81

19.05%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$6.17 $6.17

-54.94%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.57 $2.57

8.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.57 $1.57

31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.09 $5.09

-12.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$7.11 $7.11

-35.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.91 $0.91

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.44 $2.44

-16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.25 $2.25

-14.67%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.63 $3.63

-8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$10.90 $10.90

69.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$10.94 $10.94

-13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$14.32 $14.32

33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.52 $4.52

-41.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.02 $2.02

21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.86 $4.86

-56.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$4.53 $4.53

-37.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.59 $3.59

-43.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$3.33 $3.33

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.04 $1.04

41.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.67 $0.67

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$9.01 $9.01

-20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$15.30 $15.30

-48.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.68 $1.68

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.41 $3.41

-32.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.97 $1.97

51.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$1.99 $1.99

131.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.16 $2.16

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$20.24 $20.24

44.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.83 $0.83

121.69%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

48.72%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.1K $24.1K

35.68%

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

$188 €162

$146 $146

28.34%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$49.88 $49.88

-54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$62.9 $62.9

-41.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$42.89 $42.89

33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$15.13 $15.13

-26.04%

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

$721 €621

$1,088 $1,088

-33.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$11.7K $11.7K

28.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$49.04 $49.04

75.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$34.51 $34.51

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$84.5 $84.5

20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$94.0 $94.0

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$924 $924

66.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$916 $916

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,850 $1,850

45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,353 $1,353

48.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$5,274 $5,274

-55.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.54

-48.17%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ankeny, IA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $924 in Ankeny, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 124% 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 $58.0 in Ankeny, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $340, 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 Ankeny, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ankeny, IA differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,993 including rent). Ankeny, IA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ankeny, IA earns 124% 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 $924 in Ankeny, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,993 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ankeny, IA but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ankeny, IA 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 Ankeny, IA 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 Ankeny, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.