Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ellensburg, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ellensburg, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,369 in Ellensburg, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $3,509 in Ellensburg, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $4,648 in Ellensburg, WA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 5% more expensive than in Ellensburg, WA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Ellensburg, WA 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$15.08 $15.08

24.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$101 $101

-31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$12.09 $12.09

13.90%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.45 $5.45

-43.12%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$1.51 $1.51

87.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.28 $1.28

46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$4.92 $4.92

-19.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$7.92 $7.92

-42.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.06 $1.06

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.77 $2.77

-22.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$4.98 $4.98

-64.66%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$4.12 $4.12

24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$15.28 $15.28

17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$6.52 $6.52

48.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$13.91 $13.91

44.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$4.83 $4.83

-32.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.44 $1.44

54.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$4.33 $4.33

-39.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$4.10 $4.10

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.55 $1.55

42.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$2.20 $2.20

-3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.02 $2.02

-23.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.88 $1.88

-49.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$9.91 $9.91

-25.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$15.11 $15.11

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$4.18 $4.18

-63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$5.66 $5.66

-50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$1.95 $1.95

59.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$2.59 $2.59

26.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.71 $1.71

-13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$30.20 $30.20

13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.09 $1.09

58.72%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$31.7K $31.7K

14.58%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

17.41%

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

$187 €163

$148 $148

26.44%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$40.59 $40.59

-62.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$71.2 $71.2

-47.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$42.28 $42.28

32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$16.03 $16.03

-28.82%

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

$997 €869

$1,409 $1,409

-29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$31.5K $31.5K

-47.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$34.65 $34.65

167.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$35.57 $35.57

15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$111 $111

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$40.69 $40.69

207.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$1,578 $1,578

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$1,271 $1,271

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$2,506 $2,506

2.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$2,149 $2,149

-9.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

$4,490 $4,490

70.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

$4,364 $4,364

18.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$1,793 $1,793

31.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.45

-51.01%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,578 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 31% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $101 in Ellensburg, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $368 per month, with Barcelona 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 Ellensburg, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ellensburg, WA differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,369 including rent). Ellensburg, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,578 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,409 in Ellensburg, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ellensburg, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Ellensburg, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Ellensburg, WA 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 Ellensburg, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.