Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gallarate Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Gallarate

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,019 in Gallarate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,022 in Gallarate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $4,024 in Gallarate.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 15% more expensive than in Gallarate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Gallarate 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$23.18 €20.28

-23.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$82.2 €71.9

-15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$11.34 €9.92

24.87%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$1.99 €1.74

40.70%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$3.56 €3.12

-21.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.34 €1.17

53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$5.92 €5.18

-22.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$5.85 €5.12

-19.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.64 €1.43

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.38 €1.21

47.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.56 €2.24

-22.66%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.00 €2.63

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$15.89 €13.91

15.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$13.36 €11.69

-26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$28.83 €25.22

-33.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.82 €2.47

-3.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.15 €1.88

10.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.39 €2.09

-12.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$2.48 €2.17

10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.52 €1.33

28.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.79 €1.56

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.54 €1.35

-3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.47 €0.41

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$7.35 €6.43

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$6.93 €6.07

13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.61 €1.41

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.81 €2.46

-14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$1.78 €1.56

69.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$44.96 €39.34

-34.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$5.92 €5.18

-26.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.59 €1.39

33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$34.15 €29.88

-13.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$2.04 €1.78

-10.78%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$35.7K €31.2K

6.18%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$36.4K €31.8K

-10.93%

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

$189 €165

$243 €213

-22.30%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$13.57 €11.87

64.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$31.00 €27.12

19.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$60.1 €52.6

-3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$17.61 €15.41

17.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$12.88 €11.27

-15.61%

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

$706 €618

$584 €511

20.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$6,597 €5,772

125.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$89.2 €78.1

0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$38.28 €33.49

-4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$105 €92.1

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$139 €122

-14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$868 €759

81.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$731 €640

69.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$1,574 €1,377

72.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$1,150 €1,006

77.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,660 €2,327

183.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$2,097 €1,835

149.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$2,172 €1,901

8.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.7

-27.87%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gallarate: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $868 in Gallarate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 9% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $82.0 in Gallarate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $350 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 Gallarate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Gallarate differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $2,019 including rent). Gallarate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $868 in Gallarate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $584 in Gallarate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,019 in Gallarate versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gallarate but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Gallarate 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 Gallarate 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 Gallarate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.