Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arlington, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arlington, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $2,383 in Arlington, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $3,566 in Arlington, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $4,748 in Arlington, TX.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 5% more expensive than in Arlington, TX, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Arlington, TX 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$20.13 $20.13

-8.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$54.0 $54.0

28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$9.98 $9.98

41.58%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$5.47 $5.47

-42.78%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$2.60 $2.60

16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.00 $2.00

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$5.07 $5.07

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

$6.58 $6.58

-27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$3.82 $3.82

-43.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$5.09 $5.09

-66.80%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$2.59 $2.59

90.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$10.79 $10.79

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$12.73 $12.73

-24.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$18.72 $18.72

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$4.45 $4.45

-27.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.68 $2.68

-18.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$5.23 $5.23

-48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$3.97 $3.97

-30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.59 $2.59

-14.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$3.12 $3.12

-29.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.91 $1.91

-20.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.96 $1.96

-53.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$9.43 $9.43

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

$12.01 $12.01

-32.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.11 $2.11

-28.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.36 $3.36

-17.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$5.94 $5.94

-46.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

$39.26 $39.26

-31.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$2.92 $2.92

11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.77 $1.77

-15.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

$14.91 $14.91

134.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.92 $0.92

90.22%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$35.6K $35.6K

2.93%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

21.83%

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

$188 €161

$222 $222

-15.38%

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

$15.44 €13.27

$65.9 $65.9

-76.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$65.0 $65.0

-41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

$41.23 $41.23

38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$10.18 $10.18

13.75%

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

$1,003 €862

$1,922 $1,922

-47.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$27.6K $27.6K

-38.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$59.3 $59.3

50.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$50.3 $50.3

-18.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$81.2 $81.2

35.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$99.0 $99.0

23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$1,534 $1,534

9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$1,082 $1,082

23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$2,440 $2,440

6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$2,055 $2,055

-5.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

$2,224 $2,224

240.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

$2,181 $2,181

146.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$3,708 $3,708

-35.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.08

-48.03%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arlington, TX: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $1,534 in Arlington, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $54.0 in Arlington, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $395, 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 Arlington, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arlington, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Arlington, TX. 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $1,534 in Arlington, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,495 per month in Barcelona versus $2,383 in Arlington, TX – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arlington, TX runs roughly 45% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,383 in Arlington, TX versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arlington, TX but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Arlington, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arlington, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,383 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arlington, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.