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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,847 in Ellensburg, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,965 in Ellensburg, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $4,082 in Ellensburg, WA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 27% more expensive than Ellensburg, WA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Ellensburg, WA 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$15.09 $15.09

13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$99.5 $99.5

-30.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$11.76 $11.76

17.18%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$5.34 $5.34

-48.31%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$1.49 $1.49

87.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.22 $1.22

63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$5.05 $5.05

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$7.81 $7.81

-39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.05 $1.05

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.82 $2.82

-27.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$4.96 $4.96

-59.88%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$4.24 $4.24

-20.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$15.61 $15.61

20.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$6.79 $6.79

37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.54 $13.54

41.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$3.86 $3.86

-30.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.15 $1.15

103.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.25 $4.25

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$4.01 $4.01

-28.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.56 $1.56

26.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.16 $2.16

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.97 $1.97

-26.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.69 $1.69

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$7.85 $7.85

-13.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$14.78 $14.78

-46.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$3.01 $3.01

-53.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.04 $2.04

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.72 $2.72

63.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.73 $1.73

18.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$30.29 $30.29

-2.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.04 $1.04

75.00%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$32.1K $32.1K

20.81%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$26.5K $26.5K

24.93%

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

$189 €163

$125 $125

51.46%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$40.06 $40.06

-43.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$70.7 $70.7

-46.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$24.91 $24.91

131.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$15.86 $15.86

-31.78%

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

$728 €628

$2,275 $2,275

-67.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$29.1K $29.1K

-49.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$45.15 $45.15

96.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$35.41 $35.41

4.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$92.1 $92.1

10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$117 $117

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$952 $952

64.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$810 $810

50.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,868 $1,868

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,490 $1,490

32.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$4,498 $4,498

72.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$4,395 $4,395

17.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$1,778 $1,778

31.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.42

-47.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $952 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 32% 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 $100 in Ellensburg, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $347 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 27% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,847 including rent). Ellensburg, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 32% more on average, 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $952 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $2,275 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 $100 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,847 in Ellensburg, WA versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ellensburg, WA but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ellensburg, WA 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 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 27% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.