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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,665 in Decatur, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,517 in Decatur, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,368 in Decatur, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 42% more expensive than Decatur, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Decatur, IL 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.14

$19.46 $19.46

-9.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$66.3 $66.3

3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.10

$8.76 $8.76

60.50%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$5.03 $5.03

-44.73%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$2.20 $2.20

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.67 $1.67

23.35%

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

$6.15 $6.15

-25.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.83 $0.83

49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.53 $2.53

-19.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.04 $2.04

-5.88%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$3.56 $3.56

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.87

$8.92 $8.92

106.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.17

$7.53 $7.53

26.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.49

$13.22 $13.22

44.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.44 $4.44

-40.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.16 $2.16

13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.38 $4.38

-51.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.33 $3.33

-14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.92 $0.92

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.12 $1.12

65.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.46 $1.46

0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.53 $2.53

-66.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$7.20 $7.20

-0.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

$14.92 $14.92

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.82 $1.82

-24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.01 $2.01

14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.04 $2.04

46.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.04 $3.04

51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.41 $1.41

46.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.12

$28.85 $28.85

1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.81 $0.81

127.16%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$29.6K $29.6K

31.79%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

28.55%

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

$188 €162

$85.5 $85.5

119.62%

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

$22.93 €19.74

$61.0 $61.0

-62.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.61

$62.9 $62.9

-41.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.39

$75.6 $75.6

-24.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.64

$11.80 $11.80

-5.17%

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

$721 €621

$1,297 $1,297

-44.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.0K

$23.5K $23.5K

-35.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$57.0 $57.0

51.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.92

$42.79 $42.79

-13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$76.3 $76.3

33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$193 $193

-39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,320

$875 $875

75.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,051

$571 $571

113.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,321

$1,018 $1,018

164.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,733

$825 $825

144.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,216

$956 $956

655.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,467

$940 $940

452.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,031

$4,486 $4,486

-47.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.56

-48.32%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Decatur, IL: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $875 in Decatur, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Decatur, IL pays 90% 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 $66.0 in Decatur, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $314 per month, with Decatur, IL 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 Decatur, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Decatur, IL differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,665 including rent). Decatur, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Decatur, IL earns 90% 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 $875 in Decatur, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $1,297 in Decatur, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Decatur, IL – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,665 in Decatur, IL versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Decatur, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Decatur, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Decatur, IL 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 Decatur, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.