Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Austin, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Austin, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Barcelona vs $2,397 in Austin, MN, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,462 per month in Barcelona vs $3,588 in Austin, MN, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Barcelona vs $4,779 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Barcelona is about 2% cheaper than Austin, MN, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Barcelona and Austin, MN sit above the global median – Barcelona by 75%, Austin, MN by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$15.97 $15.97

10.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$90.4 $90.4

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$12.04 $12.04

14.20%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$4.91 $4.91

-43.79%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$2.68 $2.68

3.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.95 $1.95

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$5.02 $5.02

-8.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$6.91 $6.91

-33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.89 $0.89

43.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.51 $2.51

-15.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.92 $1.92

2.60%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.67 $2.67

28.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$12.92 $12.92

45.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$6.74 $6.74

40.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$17.99 $17.99

5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$4.57 $4.57

-40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.22 $1.22

94.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$3.58 $3.58

-41.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$1.70 $1.70

62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.61 $1.61

22.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.86 $2.86

-37.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.48 $1.48

2.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$2.03 $2.03

-55.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$8.93 $8.93

-24.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$3.08 $3.08

145.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.75 $1.75

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$4.04 $4.04

-40.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.98 $1.98

53.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.04 $2.04

117.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.39 $1.39

47.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$19.68 $19.68

49.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.84 $0.84

125.00%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

50.52%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$24.4K $24.4K

32.74%

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

$189 €161

$144 $144

31.27%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$50.4 $50.4

-55.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$76.9 $76.9

-52.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$42.24 $42.24

37.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$14.84 $14.84

-25.54%

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

$726 €622

$1,382 $1,382

-47.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$11.9K $11.9K

28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$64.0 $64.0

38.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$49.87 $49.87

-25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$73.1 $73.1

40.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$144 $144

-17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$1,629 $1,629

-6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$1,340 $1,340

-9.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$2,645 $2,645

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$2,199 $2,199

-7.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$2,645 $2,645

168.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$2,421 $2,421

100.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.61

-48.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Austin, MN: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,629 in Austin, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona versus $90.0 in Austin, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Barcelona vs $296 in Austin, MN – so Austin, MN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Austin, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Austin, MN is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,512 per month in Barcelona and $3,595 in Austin, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barcelona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,341 in Barcelona and $2,397 in Austin, MN. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $726 per month in Barcelona and $1,382 in Austin, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,341, than in Austin, MN at $2,397. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barcelona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.