Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $567 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $893 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,219 in El Progreso.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 312% more expensive than El Progreso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, El Progreso is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.81

$5.72 HNL 153

198.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.1

$24.78 HNL 661

179.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.95

$7.88 HNL 210

74.87%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.39

$1.47 HNL 39.24

87.76%

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

$2.79 €2.42

$1.01 HNL 26.89

176.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.03 HNL 27.38

93.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.79

$1.16 HNL 31.05

275.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.11

$1.99 HNL 53.0

138.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.29 HNL 34.35

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.78

$2.08 HNL 55.5

-1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.22 HNL 32.63

63.11%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.94

$2.04 HNL 54.4

66.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.31

$4.45 HNL 119

322.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.12

$3.89 HNL 104

140.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.58

$7.84 HNL 209

143.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.34

$2.97 HNL 79.3

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.44 HNL 38.34

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.45 HNL 38.66

46.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$1.52 HNL 40.51

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.60 HNL 42.66

23.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.35 HNL 35.88

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.26

$0.89 HNL 23.69

62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.67 HNL 44.45

-48.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.88

$2.47 HNL 65.9

174.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.85

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.33 HNL 35.58

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.80 HNL 48.01

31.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.86

$4.35 HNL 116

2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.62

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.08 HNL 28.79

68.52%

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

$38.8K €33.7K

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

98.94%

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

$33.1K €28.7K

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

70.33%

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

$189 €164

$80.7 HNL 2,150

134.54%

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

$22.80 €19.77

$9.07 HNL 242

151.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.60

$41.37 HNL 1,103

-9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.99

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.39

$5.73 HNL 153

88.83%

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

$728 €632

$245 HNL 6,538

196.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.9

$45.56 HNL 1,214

94.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.96

$35.67 HNL 951

3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$111 HNL 2,952

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$103 HNL 2,750

12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,361

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,057

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,424

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,713

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,724

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,489

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,032

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-71.75%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $181 per month, with El Progreso 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 El Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and El Progreso differ by about 312% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $567 including rent). El Progreso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $850 in El Progreso to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $245 in El Progreso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Progreso – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso 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 Progreso 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 Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 312% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.