Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and El Dorado, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and El Dorado, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $1,688 in El Dorado, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $2,428 in El Dorado, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $3,168 in El Dorado, AR.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 38% more expensive than El Dorado, AR, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, El Dorado, AR 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$17.66 $17.66

-1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$59.2 $59.2

17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$11.36 $11.36

22.45%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$4.84 $4.84

-43.39%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$2.79 $2.79

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.33 $2.33

-12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$5.09 $5.09

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$6.14 $6.14

-24.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.03 $1.03

24.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$3.53 $3.53

-40.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$2.99 $2.99

-33.44%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$3.07 $3.07

12.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$9.79 $9.79

90.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$11.53 $11.53

-18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$16.55 $16.55

12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$4.29 $4.29

-39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.41 $1.41

69.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$2.85 $2.85

-23.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$3.85 $3.85

-27.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.58 $1.58

28.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.48 $2.48

-24.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.99 $1.99

-27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.75 $1.75

-47.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$8.31 $8.31

-17.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$12.21 $12.21

-36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.65 $1.65

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.15 $2.15

8.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$1.98 $1.98

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$2.45 $2.45

80.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.48 $1.48

44.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$23.76 $23.76

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$0.76 $0.76

150.00%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$24.0K $24.0K

57.84%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

27.47%

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

$186 €158

$137 $137

35.71%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$58.8 $58.8

-62.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$40.76 $40.76

-10.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$43.83 $43.83

33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$8.86 $8.86

25.28%

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

$705 €601

$1,030 $1,030

-31.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$18.8K $18.8K

-19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$53.4 $53.4

61.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$35.40 $35.40

4.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$78.5 $78.5

32.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$58.8 $58.8

96.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$1,595 $1,595

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$615 $615

102.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$2,254 $2,254

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$809 $809

148.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$2,716 $2,716

163.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

$2,185 $2,185

121.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$4,154 $4,154

-40.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.58

-48.48%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Last update for El Dorado, AR: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $1,595 in El Dorado, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Barcelona vs $59 in El Dorado, AR. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $343, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 El Dorado, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and El Dorado, AR differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $1,688 including rent). El Dorado, AR is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, El Dorado, AR earns 68% 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: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $1,595 in El Dorado, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $1,030 in El Dorado, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Dorado, AR – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,688 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,336 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in El Dorado, AR but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes El Dorado, AR 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 El Dorado, AR 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 El Dorado, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.