Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Barnstable, MA

For one person, living costs are similar in Barcelona and in Barnstable, MA: $2,381 and $2,398 a month, rent and utilities included.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Barnstable, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,398
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Barnstable, MA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Barnstable, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,381 in Barcelona versus $2,398 in Barnstable, MA.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Barnstable, MA $2,398

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Barcelona versus $3,546 in Barnstable, MA.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Barnstable, MA $3,546

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Barcelona versus $4,695 in Barnstable, MA.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Barnstable, MA $4,695

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 1% less than in Barnstable, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 76% above, Barnstable, MA 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €15.92
$18.23 $18.23
-1.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €58.9
$74.0 $74.0
-10.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.18
$10.08 $10.08
35.81%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.98 $3.98
-23.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.73
$2.12 $2.12
44.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.67 $1.67
16.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.44
$5.15 $5.15
-24.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.10
$6.88 $6.88
-32.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.04 $1.04
25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.87
$3.05 $3.05
-31.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.62
$4.10 $4.10
-55.37%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.11
$4.12 $4.12
12.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.44
$6.43 $6.43
169.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.25
$8.68 $8.68
6.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.64
$8.65 $8.65
129.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$4.14 $4.14
-27.29%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.80 $1.80
12.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$4.48 $4.48
-40.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$3.61 $3.61
-20.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.21 $2.21
-2.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.14 $2.14
0.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.93 $1.93
-23.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$2.44 $2.44
-63.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.16
$12.18 $12.18
-43.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €6.96
$12.75 $12.75
-38.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.17 $2.17
-35.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$4.00 $4.00
-34.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.59
$1.95 $1.95
49.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.64
$34.68 $34.68
-26.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.66
$3.40 $3.40
-11.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.75 $3.75
-61.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.53
$25.52 $25.52
30.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.03 $1.03
80.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$27.3K $27.3K
18.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.2K
$24.4K $24.4K
30.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$101 $101
80.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.11
$60.7 $60.7
-77.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.29
$63.8 $63.8
-48.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.65
$41.77 $41.77
30.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.70
$24.38 $24.38
-32.24%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$13.74 $13.74
-18.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €849
$1,833 $1,833
-47.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.8K
$29.7K $29.7K
-44.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.5
$55.9 $55.9
54.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.78
$37.94 $37.94
3.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.2
$80.0 $80.0
29.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$99.5 $99.5
19.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,508
$1,579 $1,579
7.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,135
$1,315 $1,315
-2.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,291
$2,496 $2,496
3.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,710
$2,179 $2,179
-11.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,477
$2,718 $2,718
167.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,456
$2,379 $2,379
110.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Barnstable, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,981
$4,584 $4,584
-51.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
6.64
-50.60%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Barnstable, MA
$1.3K 3% $38
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Barnstable, MA
$322 0.9% $2.9
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Barnstable, MA
$278 3.3% $8.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Barnstable, MA
$226 1.6% $3.8
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Barnstable, MA
$123 21.3% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Barnstable, MA
$69 10.3% $7.9
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Barnstable, MA
$65 36.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,579 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 106% 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: $66.0 in Barcelona vs $74.0 in Barnstable, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $322, with Barnstable, MA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇺🇸 Barnstable, MA
🕒 Local time
05:52 5:52 AM
23:52 11:52 PM
6 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
44,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Barnstable, MA 5,840 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Barnstable, MA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Barnstable, MA?
Barcelona and Barnstable, MA differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,381 vs $2,398 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Barnstable, MA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Barnstable, MA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,579 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Barnstable, MA?
Childcare runs $954 in Barcelona versus $1,833 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barnstable, MA pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Barnstable, MA?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Barcelona or Barnstable, MA safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Barnstable, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Barnstable, MA?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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