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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,845 in Ellensburg, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,977 in Ellensburg, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $4,108 in Ellensburg, WA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 28% more expensive than in Ellensburg, WA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Ellensburg, WA 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$15.28 $15.28

12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$101 $101

-32.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$11.81 $11.81

15.50%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$5.39 $5.39

-48.42%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.52 $1.52

85.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.28 $1.28

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$5.05 $5.05

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$7.77 $7.77

-40.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.11 $1.11

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.80 $2.80

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$4.78 $4.78

-58.37%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$4.27 $4.27

-21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$15.16 $15.16

25.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$6.78 $6.78

40.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$13.55 $13.55

38.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$3.79 $3.79

-30.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.13 $1.13

107.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$4.46 $4.46

-53.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$4.05 $4.05

-32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.55 $1.55

26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.13 $2.13

-15.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.95 $1.95

-22.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.61 $1.61

-44.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$8.02 $8.02

-15.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$15.27 $15.27

-48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.93 $2.93

-53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.48 $2.48

-3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$1.97 $1.97

47.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$2.67 $2.67

71.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.73 $1.73

17.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$29.41 $29.41

-2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.03 $1.03

76.70%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$32.6K $32.6K

20.56%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

23.75%

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

$187 €162

$125 $125

48.93%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$40.35 $40.35

-44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$69.5 $69.5

-47.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$25.19 $25.19

128.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$15.85 $15.85

-32.05%

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

$725 €628

$2,216 $2,216

-67.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$29.5K $29.5K

-48.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$44.30 $44.30

98.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$34.79 $34.79

5.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$91.3 $91.3

13.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$120 $120

-1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$949 $949

60.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$808 $808

51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,835 $1,835

48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$1,512 $1,512

31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$4,513 $4,513

65.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$4,464 $4,464

17.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,788 $1,788

33.79%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $949 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 34% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $101 in Ellensburg, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $345 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 28% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,845 including rent). Ellensburg, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $949 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $2,216 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,845 in Ellensburg, WA versus $2,359 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 28% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.