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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,391 in Arlington, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,803 in Arlington, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $5,215 in Arlington, TX.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 3% less than in Arlington, TX, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Arlington, TX 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$19.45 $19.45

-9.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$75.7 $75.7

-7.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$9.96 $9.96

42.17%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$5.49 $5.49

-49.00%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.54 $2.54

10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.01 $2.01

2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$5.11 $5.11

-9.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$7.17 $7.17

-34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.87 $0.87

41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.41 $3.41

-40.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.11 $4.11

-51.82%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.53 $3.53

-1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$12.20 $12.20

50.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$11.76 $11.76

-16.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$14.55 $14.55

31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$4.83 $4.83

-43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.63 $1.63

46.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$4.51 $4.51

-53.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.95 $3.95

-30.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.41 $2.41

-18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.74 $2.74

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.03 $2.03

-27.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$2.17 $2.17

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$9.22 $9.22

-22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$15.25 $15.25

-48.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.09 $2.09

-33.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$4.45 $4.45

-46.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$5.38 $5.38

-44.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$39.32 $39.32

-25.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$4.32 $4.32

0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.22 $1.22

74.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$24.08 $24.08

22.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$0.79 $0.79

130.38%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$25.1K $25.1K

51.07%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

25.12%

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

$189 €166

$204 $204

-7.17%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$60.0 $60.0

-62.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$68.6 $68.6

-45.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$41.82 $41.82

38.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$13.34 $13.34

-18.52%

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

$706 €618

$1,421 $1,421

-50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$22.5K $22.5K

-33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$57.0 $57.0

56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$45.68 $45.68

-19.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$87.1 $87.1

19.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$119 $119

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$1,631 $1,631

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$1,081 $1,081

14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$2,826 $2,826

-4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$2,417 $2,417

-15.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$2,201 $2,201

241.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$2,233 $2,233

134.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$3,700 $3,700

-36.11%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arlington, TX: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $1,631 in Arlington, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 57% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $76.0 in Arlington, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 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

Barcelona wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Arlington, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barcelona the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,631 in Arlington, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $2,391 in Arlington, TX – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barcelona runs roughly 34% less than in Arlington, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,391 in Arlington, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Arlington, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Barcelona delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,320 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Barcelona 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arlington, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.