Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Barcelona is 26.9% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 22.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Barcelona is 24.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 27.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 €15.03

$20.82 $20.82

-16.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €59.3

$100 $100

-31.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.71 €11.84

$11.97 $11.97

14.54%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.4

$5.56 $5.56

-50.00%

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

$2.8 €2.42

$3.11 $3.11

-9.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.42 $2.42

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.83

$6.86 $6.86

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.91

$8.45 $8.45

-46.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.04 $1.04

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$4.15 $4.15

-51.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$5.52 $5.52

-64.13%

Eggs

$3.46 €2.99

$4.65 $4.65

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.32 €15.82

$14.33 $14.33

27.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 €8.47

$14.88 $14.88

-34.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.24 €16.61

$19.34 $19.34

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$5.17 $5.17

-49.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.71 $1.71

36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$4.41 $4.41

-52.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$4.51 $4.51

-38.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.53 $2.53

-19.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.74 $2.74

-35.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.5 €1.3

$2.43 $2.43

-38.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.7 $2.7

-68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7 €6.04

$15.19 $15.19

-53.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 €6.16

$16.42 $16.42

-56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.35 $2.35

-39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.7 $3.7

-38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 €2.6

$2.53 $2.53

19.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.97 €25.01

$74.1 $74.1

-60.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 €3.96

$3.34 $3.34

37.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.42 $1.42

42.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 €25.53

$25.42 $25.42

16.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.08 $1.08

67.59%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$32.4K $32.4K

18.43%

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

$32.4K €28K

$26.2K $26.2K

23.52%

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

$190 €164

$188 $188

0.74%

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

$22.18 €19.15

$63.7 $63.7

-65.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.4

$65.2 $65.2

-44.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.55

$76.7 $76.7

-25.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 €18.09

$13.03 $13.03

60.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.8 €9.33

$14.93 $14.93

-27.66%

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

$732 €632

$2,063 $2,063

-64.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.1K

$39.2K $39.2K

-61.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 €74.9

$64.3 $64.3

34.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 €31.76

$52.4 $52.4

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.2

$95.2 $95.2

7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$145 $145

-19.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 €1,365

$2,378 $2,378

-33.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 €1,062

$1,584 $1,584

-22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,707 €2,337

$4,763 $4,763

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 €1,751

$2,815 $2,815

-27.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 €5,700

$3,588 $3,588

84.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,045 €4,356

$2,490 $2,490

102.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,198 €1,898

$5,275 $5,275

-58.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.6

-48.64%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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