Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Fort Smith, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Fort Smith, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,817 in Fort Smith, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,712 in Fort Smith, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,606 in Fort Smith, AR.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 29% more expensive than Fort Smith, AR, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Fort Smith, AR 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$15.05 $15.05

13.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$50.5 $50.5

37.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.60 $8.60

60.23%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$4.17 $4.17

-33.81%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.18 $2.18

27.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.89 $1.89

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.89 $3.89

12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$6.14 $6.14

-22.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.02 $1.02

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.02 $3.02

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.07 $2.07

-3.86%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.99 $2.99

13.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$7.35 $7.35

155.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$9.28 $9.28

0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$14.28 $14.28

33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$4.52 $4.52

-40.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.29 $1.29

81.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.52 $2.52

-15.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.19 $2.19

30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.61 $1.61

22.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.56 $1.56

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.76 $1.76

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.97 $1.97

-56.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$6.94 $6.94

-2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$15.23 $15.23

-48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.65 $1.65

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.51 $2.51

-5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.23 $1.23

137.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$35.18 $35.18

-18.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.96 $2.96

50.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.29 $1.29

58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$36.48 $36.48

-19.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.78 $0.78

133.33%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

49.87%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

25.89%

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

$189 €163

$237 $237

-20.15%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$57.1 $57.1

-60.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$72.2 $72.2

-47.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$26.93 $26.93

114.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$15.73 $15.73

31.85%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$10.97 $10.97

-1.37%

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

$728 €628

$778 $778

-6.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

-38.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$51.6 $51.6

71.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$33.09 $33.09

11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$69.3 $69.3

47.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$76.4 $76.4

51.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$691 $691

127.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$674 $674

80.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,476 $1,476

89.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$1,332 $1,332

48.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$1,516 $1,516

411.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$1,544 $1,544

235.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$3,038 $3,038

-22.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.45

-47.44%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $691 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Smith, AR pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $51.0 in Fort Smith, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $306 per month, with Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Smith, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Fort Smith, AR differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,817 including rent). Fort Smith, AR is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Fort Smith, AR earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $691 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $778 in Fort Smith, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,817 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fort Smith, AR but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Smith, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.