Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Athens, OH Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Athens, OH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,570 in Athens, OH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,979 in Athens, OH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,388 in Athens, OH.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 51% more expensive than Athens, OH, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Athens, OH 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$15.28 $15.28

15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$60.1 $60.1

13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$8.01 $8.01

75.53%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$4.23 $4.23

-34.28%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.24 $2.24

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.39 $1.39

48.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$5.07 $5.07

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$6.89 $6.89

-33.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.70 $0.70

77.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.08 $2.08

-2.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.08 $3.08

-37.66%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.28 $3.28

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$10.33 $10.33

78.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$8.90 $8.90

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.50

$15.24 $15.24

25.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.75 $3.75

-29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.90 $0.90

172.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.84 $2.84

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.09 $3.09

-7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.69 $1.69

20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.14 $2.14

-13.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.65 $1.65

-10.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.46 $1.46

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$9.03 $9.03

-20.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$13.25 $13.25

-40.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.01 $2.01

-31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 $1.85

24.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.03 $1.03

189.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.83 $3.83

20.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.23 $1.23

68.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.13

$25.18 $25.18

15.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.82 $0.82

124.39%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$35.6K $35.6K

9.74%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$24.7K $24.7K

32.37%

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

$188 €162

$120 $120

56.58%

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

$22.93 €19.75

$30.53 $30.53

-24.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$47.45 $47.45

-22.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.41

$43.57 $43.57

31.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$9.54 $9.54

17.30%

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

$721 €621

$1,574 $1,574

-54.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$17.6K $17.6K

-14.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$40.28 $40.28

114.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$40.26 $40.26

-7.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$65.3 $65.3

56.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$103 $103

13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,321

$1,713 $1,713

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$655 $655

86.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$2,619 $2,619

2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$2,198 $2,198

-8.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

$1,698 $1,698

325.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

$1,638 $1,638

216.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,032

$3,478 $3,478

-32.17%

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 Athens, OH: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,713 in Athens, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens, OH pays 47% 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 $60.0 in Athens, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $299 per month, with Athens, OH 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 Athens, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athens, OH is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Athens, OH earns 47% 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 $1,713 in Athens, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Barcelona versus $1,570 in Athens, OH – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Athens, OH is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Athens, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Athens, OH 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 Athens, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.