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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,893 in Ellensburg, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,979 in Ellensburg, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,065 in Ellensburg, WA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 24% more expensive than Ellensburg, WA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Ellensburg, WA 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$14.98 $14.98

17.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$101 $101

-31.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$12.19 $12.19

12.80%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$5.32 $5.32

-48.12%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$1.51 $1.51

84.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.21 $1.21

69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$4.88 $4.88

-5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$8.17 $8.17

-43.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.10 $1.10

16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.79 $2.79

-24.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$4.74 $4.74

-58.44%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$4.26 $4.26

-19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$15.63 $15.63

20.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$6.70 $6.70

41.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$13.66 $13.66

39.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$3.84 $3.84

-29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.19 $1.19

99.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$4.33 $4.33

-51.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$4.19 $4.19

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.57 $1.57

25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.21 $2.21

-19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.95 $1.95

-22.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.69 $1.69

-46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$7.91 $7.91

-14.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$15.24 $15.24

-50.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.95 $2.95

-51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.48 $2.48

-2.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$2.03 $2.03

49.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$2.60 $2.60

70.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.66 $1.66

23.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$30.20 $30.20

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.09 $1.09

73.39%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

21.34%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

24.10%

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

$189 €161

$123 $123

53.24%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$39.50 $39.50

-43.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$68.7 $68.7

-46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$25.14 $25.14

130.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$15.95 $15.95

-30.72%

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

$726 €622

$2,271 $2,271

-68.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$29.8K $29.8K

-48.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$44.31 $44.31

99.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$34.35 $34.35

7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$92.8 $92.8

10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$117 $117

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$947 $947

61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$814 $814

49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,839 $1,839

51.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$1,512 $1,512

34.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$4,527 $4,527

56.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$4,517 $4,517

7.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$1,801 $1,801

33.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $947 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 33% 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 $320 vs $348 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 24% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,893 including rent). Ellensburg, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 33% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $947 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $2,271 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.

At $1,893 in Ellensburg, WA versus $2,341 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 24% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.