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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,338 in Arlington, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,772 in Arlington, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $5,205 in Arlington, TX.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 1% more expensive than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Arlington, TX 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$20.04 $20.04

-12.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$75.9 $75.9

-9.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$10.18 $10.18

38.11%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$5.51 $5.51

-49.55%

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

$2.09 $2.09

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.14 $5.14

-13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$6.89 $6.89

-33.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.95 $0.95

30.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$3.45 $3.45

-41.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$4.07 $4.07

-52.83%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.48 $3.48

-4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$11.80 $11.80

56.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$11.87 $11.87

-20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$14.86 $14.86

28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.82 $4.82

-45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.62 $1.62

51.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$4.50 $4.50

-52.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$4.07 $4.07

-29.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.50 $2.50

-18.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.82 $2.82

-34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.94 $1.94

-24.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.17 $2.17

-61.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$9.18 $9.18

-22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$14.74 $14.74

-46.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.06 $2.06

-33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.49 $4.49

-48.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$5.31 $5.31

-43.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$40.41 $40.41

-27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$4.42 $4.42

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.28 $1.28

61.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$23.79 $23.79

22.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.74 $0.74

148.65%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

52.11%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

25.70%

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

$188 €162

$202 $202

-6.86%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$60.4 $60.4

-62.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$67.0 $67.0

-45.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$40.86 $40.86

40.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$13.46 $13.46

-16.86%

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

$721 €620

$1,416 $1,416

-49.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$21.8K $21.8K

-30.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$56.4 $56.4

52.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$45.12 $45.12

-17.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$86.3 $86.3

18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$118 $118

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$1,600 $1,600

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$1,064 $1,064

14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$2,799 $2,799

-3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$2,387 $2,387

-15.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$2,190 $2,190

229.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$2,230 $2,230

132.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$3,799 $3,799

-37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.52

-48.01%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arlington, TX: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,600 in Arlington, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 61% 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 $76.0 in Arlington, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $381 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 Arlington, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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, Arlington, TX earns 61% 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 $1,600 in Arlington, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $2,338 in Arlington, TX – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arlington, TX runs roughly 38% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Arlington, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arlington, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,338 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 1% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.