Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Galesburg, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Galesburg, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $1,848 in Galesburg, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $2,591 in Galesburg, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $3,334 in Galesburg, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 35% more expensive than in Galesburg, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Galesburg, IL 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$10.20 $10.20

80.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$39.80 $39.80

73.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$12.06 $12.06

17.16%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$5.15 $5.15

-39.22%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$2.23 $2.23

35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.51 $1.51

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$3.94 $3.94

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$6.05 $6.05

-21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.95 $0.95

31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.92 $2.92

-26.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.91 $2.91

-41.92%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$2.86 $2.86

72.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$9.15 $9.15

95.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$10.29 $10.29

-6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$11.08 $11.08

74.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$6.26 $6.26

-48.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.24 $1.24

75.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$4.77 $4.77

-44.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$5.17 $5.17

-46.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$3.98 $3.98

-44.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$4.17 $4.17

-47.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.75 $1.75

-13.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.34 $1.34

-31.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$8.18 $8.18

-12.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$14.96 $14.96

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.92 $2.92

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.24 $3.24

-14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$1.94 $1.94

62.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

$40.26 $40.26

-32.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.56 $3.56

-8.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.60 $1.60

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

$40.71 $40.71

-14.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.89 $0.89

96.63%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

6.35%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

25.73%

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

$188 €161

$245 $245

-23.41%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$68.3 $68.3

-77.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$74.7 $74.7

-49.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$37.38 $37.38

52.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$8.01 $8.01

44.57%

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

$1,003 €863

$1,386 $1,386

-27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$24.0K $24.0K

-29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$49.95 $49.95

78.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$35.06 $35.06

16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$71.1 $71.1

54.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$117 $117

5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$672 $672

149.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$639 $639

108.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$1,091 $1,091

137.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$957 $957

103.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

$2,354 $2,354

221.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

$2,123 $2,123

153.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,761 $1,761

36.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.09

-48.11%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Galesburg, IL: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $672 in Galesburg, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 36% 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 $40.00 in Galesburg, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $352, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 Galesburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Galesburg, IL differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $1,848 including rent). Galesburg, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $672 in Galesburg, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $1,386 in Galesburg, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,848 in Galesburg, IL versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Galesburg, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Galesburg, IL 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 Galesburg, IL 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 Galesburg, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.